KULGAM, Mar 18 : Omar Abdullah, vice president of the National Conference, charged the Jammu and Kashmir government on Monday of “sabotaging” the assembly polls in the union territory, claiming that the current administration aspires to rule like uncrowned kings.
“We desired both the Lok Sabha and concurrent elections.” But it didn’t take place. That was destroyed by the current Jammu and Kashmiri government, which does not want to return power to the people. Speaking to media here following the party’s poll launch for the Anantnag-Rajouri Parliamentary constituency, Abdullah stated, “They are ruling like uncrowned kings.”
The NC leader said earlier that bureaucrats in J-K put obstacles in the way of holding assembly elections because they were becoming “spoiled” while speaking to party workers at Damhal Hanjipora in the area of south Kashmir.
“The hurdles in holding the assembly elections were put by our officers by saying that they cannot make adequate security arrangements.You yourself say that the situation is better, normalcy has been restored, that there is no danger of guns now.
“If there is no danger of guns, then you will not need much security deployment and if you do not need, then you should have held elections. The reality is that they are getting spoiled,” he said.
The former J-K chief minister, however, said the Election Commission has to hold the assembly polls before the Supreme Court’s deadline of September 30 this year which the top court gave while passing its order after hearing a batch of petitions challenging the revocation of Article 370.
“We thank God that they will have to conclude elections here before September 30 according to the SC. The chief election commissioner has also said that polls will be held before the deadline,” he added.
Asked to comment on the opposition parties complaining about EVMs, Abdullah said even if he complains against the use of EVMs in the elections, they will still be used because the ECI is not ready to use paper ballots again.
“So, we will have to keep our agents alert and not allow any tampering with them,” he said.
To a query on the CAA, the NC leader said CAA is not just against Muslims as there are many other minorities who have been kept outside its purview.
“This is BJP’s old habit and they will not mend their ways,” he added.
In reply to a question over the status of the Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), Abdullah said the alliance stands “What has happened to its status? We run our different parties… We have held press conferences together as well as individually. And today, I am talking to you individually, does that mean there is no PAGD. It stands and they will meet in a day or two,” he said.
Asked whether the party’s Gujjar leader Mian Altaf Ahmad would be the NC’s candidate for the constituency, Abdullah said they will announce candidates at an appropriate time.
Altaf has attended whenever party has invited him. He is our party colleague and it is not something new for him to attend our programmes and he will continue doing so. There are many leaders present here and it does not mean anything. I have said we will announce our candidates at the right time. But, we have started campaigning from today, he said.
The NC vice president the BJP’s motive to undertake delimitation of Parliamentary constituencies in J-K was to divide and rule.
“The delimitation was undertaken in a similar manner like the British’s divide and rule. That is what is being done here. Kashmir is being made to fight with Jammu, Hindus with Muslims, Gujjars with Paharis, the aim is to succeed on the south Kashmir seat anyhow. But, people are not fools. They know the BJP’s approach in the rest of the country,” he said.
Regarding the Election Bond controversy, he stated that his party received just Rs 50 lakh, whilst the BJP received a staggering sum of over Rs 6,900 crore.
“We received a Rs 50 lakh bond from one of my pals, Airtel, to operate the party. Comparing Rs 50 lakh with Rs 6,900 crore is not possible. However, only those who lack popular backing and must utilise money. Because the people of J&K are with NC, the amount of Rs 50 lakh is plenty for us, Abdullah stated.