Sajad Lone Criticizes J&K CM Omar Abdullah’s Remarks on Indus Water Treaty, Calls It “Appeasement” for BJP
SRINAGAR, Nov 13: Peoples’ Conference president Sajad Lone took a sharp stance on Wednesday, labeling Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s recent comments on the Indus Water Treaty as “rightwing gibberish” intended to curry favor with the ruling BJP at the Center. Abdullah, speaking at the Conference of Power Ministers in New Delhi, had voiced concerns over the treaty’s restrictive clauses, claiming they hinder Jammu and Kashmir’s ability to fully exploit its hydropower potential due to limitations on water storage.
However, Lone, an MLA from Handwara, criticized Abdullah’s remarks, suggesting they catered to the BJP’s ideological stance rather than addressing J&K’s genuine concerns. “A newly elected chief minister bending over backward to please the ruling party is just typical rightwing gibberish,” he wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. While expressing his own disapproval of the treaty, which he called “unfair,” Lone pointed out that it was signed under the Congress-led government in India, noting that the treaty has been a contentious issue for the region’s development.
Lone’s critique extended to J&K’s National Conference (NC) party, which he accused of failing to harness the Union Territory’s vast water resources during its extended rule. “As a Kashmiri, I have to ask: what did previous governments, particularly the NC, achieve for J&K in terms of water resource management?” he questioned, noting that the region has only tapped into about 20% of its hydropower potential. According to Lone, even this limited capacity is largely managed by the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC), with most of the profits flowing out of J&K. “J&K should be a net exporter of power, yet we’re forced to import energy, a situation that is economically crippling,” he added.
In his original comments at the conference, Abdullah argued that Jammu and Kashmir is unable to leverage its full hydropower capacity due to the Indus Water Treaty’s prohibitions on storage projects, which restrict development to only run-of-the-river infrastructure. This limitation, he noted, has a severe impact on power generation during winter months, when water flow declines, leading to widespread shortages. Abdullah called for the central government’s support in the form of viability gap funding and equity assistance to help Jammu and Kashmir harness its hydro-energy resources, which he described as the only viable energy option for the Union Territory.
The chief minister’s comments highlighted the economic implications of J&K’s reliance on imported power, which adds a significant burden to the region’s economy. “Hydropower is J&K’s most abundant natural asset,” he stated, “yet due to treaty restrictions, we face an uphill battle in meeting our energy needs,” Abdullah argued that the Center’s intervention is essential to alleviate the economic strain caused by this reliance, particularly during the harsh winter months when power shortages affect essential services and disrupt daily life across the region.
