Lone says Omar shifting blame to LG, calls age relaxation failure a blow to youth

Srinagar, Dec 7: A fresh political confrontation erupted in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday after People’s Conference chairman Sajad Gani Lone launched a sharp critique of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah over the ongoing row on age relaxation in the Combined Competitive Examination (CCE). Lone accused the chief minister of portraying himself as powerless while failing to take responsibility for decisions concerning the future of thousands of aspirants.

Speaking to reporters in Srinagar, Lone said that for the past year the chief minister has repeatedly projected himself as someone with limited authority, claiming that key decisions lie outside his control. According to Lone, this narrative of helplessness has been used to deflect accountability on the contentious issue of upper age relaxation for the civil services examination conducted by the Public Service Commission.

He alleged that the chief minister is attempting to shift public anger toward the Lieutenant Governor’s Office by suggesting that his government’s hands are tied. “For a whole year, we have seen a chief minister trying to play Mr Bechara,” Lone said. “He has been constantly saying he does not have enough means to get things done.”

Lone asserted that the failure to address the age relaxation demand has shattered the hopes of thousands of young people aspiring for government service. He questioned whether the chief minister truly understands the emotional and professional stakes involved in competitive examinations. “I am not sure if he has ever taken an exam. These youth had dreams of becoming officers. Their opportunity has been denied because of inaction,” the Handwara MLA said.

The PC chief said the chief minister must now respond directly to the points raised by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, who recently posted detailed comments on social media regarding the decision making process behind the age relaxation file. According to Lone, if it is accurate that the L-G returned the proposal on December 2 with a basic query about financial implications and the elected government failed to reply, then the responsibility for the resulting crisis rests squarely with the chief minister.

Lone also recalled that Omar Abdullah had reached out to voters in the recent assembly elections with promises of restoring Jammu and Kashmir’s special constitutional status. In contrast, he said, the chief minister has been unable to implement even a relatively simple decision related to examination eligibility, casting doubt on larger political claims. “He could not provide age relaxation. Restoration of Article 370 and 35A is out of the question,” Lone remarked.

The People’s Conference leader further escalated his criticism by accusing the National Conference of indulging in what he termed “classic double play.” He claimed that while senior NC leader Farooq Abdullah aligns himself with the Congress party’s assertions on alleged vote manipulation, Omar Abdullah seems to echo the BJP’s narrative. Lone described this as contradictory political messaging that appears increasingly untenable in an age of heightened public scrutiny. “There is a limit to this double play. This is 2025, and everything is on camera. But he still seems confident that he can get away with it,” Lone said.