Kashmir Impulse Desk
Srinagar, Aug 19
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday challenged the Bharatiya Janata Party to order an investigation into its allegations of corruption in government recruitment, saying the administration he heads has no control over the investigative agencies that could establish whether wrongdoing occurred.
The remarks came as the political confrontation between Abdullah’s National Conference-led government and the BJP intensified over allegations of irregularities and backdoor recruitment.
“If corruption has truly taken place, register a case and take action against them,” Abdullah told reporters during a tour of Srinagar. “But these baseless allegations are just being made unnecessarily.”
Abdullah said the Jammu and Kashmir government did not control the police, Crime Branch, Anti-Corruption Bureau, or central investigative agencies and therefore could neither suppress evidence nor prevent an independent inquiry.
“Even if we assume for a second that their allegation is true, we don’t even have the power to conceal such things,” he said. “Tell me, which investigative agency is under my control? Not even one.”
The BJP, which holds power at New Delhi, has staged protests in the Jammu region over alleged recruitment irregularities.
Abdullah said political allegations should be followed by a formal complaint, registration of a case, and an investigation if there was credible evidence of corruption.
“I don’t have police; I don’t have the Crime Branch; I don’t have the Anti-Corruption Bureau, let alone the central agencies,” he said.
The CM also pushed back against criticism that his government had failed to implement its election manifesto.
He said voters had given the NC a five-year mandate and argued that the government’s record should be assessed at the end of that period rather than before it had completed two years in office.
“Has it been five years? Did I fall asleep for three years? It hasn’t even been two years yet,” he said.
Abdullah said the manifesto had always been presented as a five-year roadmap rather than a list of commitments that could be completed immediately.
“I have stated from day one that the NC did not give its manifesto for a single day, a week, a month, or a single year. It is a five-year roadmap,” he said.
He nevertheless maintained that implementation had already begun across the manifesto.
“Every single point has been touched upon somewhere or the other,” Abdullah said, adding that his government would continue to work through the remaining commitments. “Moving forward, whatever remains to be done, we will do it.”
About an FIR registered in Kargil in Ladakh over alleged objectionable remarks concerning the late Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, he said he was not familiar with the specific details of the case but stressed that religious sentiments should not deliberately be hurt.
“No one should use derogatory language against any religious leader,” Abdullah said.
He said people of all faiths had religious sentiments that deserved respect and that remarks concerning religious leaders could have repercussions beyond the immediate locality.
“Everyone has sentiments, regardless of which religion they belong to,” the CM said.
He said that if remarks had offended, the police should take action in accordance with the law.
“Whatever legal action police need to take, they should take it,” Abdullah said.
He also warned against using the label “Gen Z” as a threat, saying doing so could quickly undermine goodwill towards young people.
His comments followed a video in which a young woman was seen raising her voice against Ladakh police personnel at a checkpoint.
