Kashmir Impulse Desk
Srinagar, Sep 02
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday rejected a demand by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that he resign, saying his government had received a five-year mandate and accusing authorities of treating rival protests by the BJP and his National Conference party differently.
Abdullah’s comments came after the BJP staged a protest in Srinagar against his government, while the ruling NC held a separate demonstration demanding restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.
“You saw how the BJP was allowed to protest, but the NC was not,” Abdullah told reporters.
He alleged that BJP leaders had been facilitated during their march towards the civil secretariat, while NC protesters attempting to march towards the BJP headquarters in Jawahar Nagar had faced forceful intervention.
“One side was facilitated, the other was brutally repressed,” Abdullah said, alleging that some of his colleagues had been dragged and injured and had required medical treatment.
About the BJP’s demand that he resign, Abdullah said: “Why should I resign?”
He questioned whether the BJP-led federal government intended to restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.
Abdullah said voters had given the NC-led government a five-year mandate and that it would ultimately present its performance to the electorate.
The CM also rejected BJP allegations of corruption and backdoor appointments, questioning what government agency had investigated the alleged irregularities.
“Does my government even have the authority to conduct an investigation?” he said, referring to the Anti-Corruption Bureau, Crime Branch, and CID, which he said were not under his government’s control.
He asked the BJP to identify an agency that had investigated alleged backdoor appointments or an FIR registered in connection with them.
Abdullah accused the opposition party of making baseless allegations and said his government was dealing with the consequences of decisions taken by previous administrations.
“We are bearing the brunt of their mistakes; we are trying to fix them, yet they are the ones protesting,” he said.
About recent remarks by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat that Muslims could not be downgraded in India, Abdullah said statements needed to be reflected in practice.
“Making a statement is one thing; putting it into practice is another,” he said.
