Kashmir Impulse Desk
Srinagar, Aug 15
Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma criticised Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s Independence Day speech on Saturday, saying the occasion should have been used to focus on national unity, governance and the future of Jammu and Kashmir rather than political disputes.
Reacting to Omar’s address at Bakshi Stadium, Sharma said the Independence Day platform represented the country and should remain above partisan politics.
“I was very shocked when such a stage was used by the Chief Minister for political purposes,” Sharma said.
He criticised Omar’s repeated references to the August 2019 changes to Jammu and Kashmir’s constitutional status and argued that the chief minister should instead have outlined his government’s performance and future plans.
Sharma said he was particularly disappointed that the speech had not focused more heavily on unemployed young people and other public concerns.
He rejected Omar’s criticism of the post-2019 constitutional arrangement, saying the federal structure had instead been strengthened after the abrogation of Article 370.
Sharma, however, welcomed the singing of Vande Mataram at Bakshi Stadium, calling it an important moment in Kashmir.
He said the participation of people in singing the national song demonstrated faith in the country and praised young people and security forces for their role in maintaining peace and strengthening national unity.
Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Independence Day address, Sharma welcomed the government’s emphasis on young people and the goal of building a developed India by 2047.
He said the country’s youth would form the foundation of that effort and welcomed what he described as the government’s attempt to provide them with a new direction.
