CM playing politics of deceit on statehood as deflection: Chugh

Jammu, July 31: BJP national general secretary and in-charge J&K affairs Tarun Chugh Thursday accused the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah of playing “politics of deceit on statehood issue to deflect people’s attention from the miserable performance of his government during the last ten months.”

Asking the Chief Minister to present his performance report of the last 10 months, he also dared the NC (and also the PDP) leadership to have “an open debate on law and order issue”, being used to target the BJP-led central government and the LG administration.

Chugh, while addressing a press conference here at party headquarter in Jammu, stated that the performance on issues flagged in NC manifesto could be discussed in the J&K Legislative Assembly session as the party failed to fulfill even a single promise.

BJP national general secretary slammed both the National Conference and the Congress, for what he stated, “using statehood issue to serve their political ends only.”

“In fact, both the parties (National Conference and Congress) are competing with each other in this politics of deceit, using statehood as a façade. After all, where is the doubt about J&K statehood restoration? Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already clarified and committed that J&K will get its statehood,” he said.

Calling out the frequent invocation of statehood as a justification for administrative shortcomings, Chugh urged Omar Abdullah to stop using it as an excuse. He reminded the NC leadership that they had contested and won the Assembly elections in the Union Territory framework, fully aware of its powers and limitations.

“All civil administration and public-related departments are currently under Omar Abdullah’s control. Despite this, the NC government has failed miserably on all fronts,” Chugh remarked. He further advised the Chief Minister to focus on the agenda of development rather than hiding behind excuses.

Taking exception to the issue of law and order being raked up by NC and PDP, he reminded Omar Abdullah of the tragic toll of deaths and turmoil during previous NC-led regimes in Jammu and Kashmir, underscoring the need for better governance.

“Before talking about law and order, they (NC) should tell - who was the Chief Minister in January, 1990? I dare the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to have an open debate on law and order issues. He should come prepared with the report of his party’s three tenures – rule of NC’s three generations. We will come with our report card of the last six years beginning 2019,” he challenged.

He suggested that even the PDP president Mehbooba Mufti too might join the debate. “We would see - who were stone pelters and who was dividing the society on communal basis? We would see under whose tenure – over 1.60 lakh Kashmiri Pandits had to flee the Valley and schools used to remain closed for over 200 days in a year….we’ll debate all these issues,” Chugh said.

He stated that almost a year passed since the NC government took charge, yet not a single commitment from their election manifesto has been fulfilled.

“People voted with hope, but what they have received is sheer disappointment. Be it employment for youth or infrastructure development, everything has remained limited to speeches with no ground-level implementation,” Chugh asserted.

In reference to the recent Operation Sindoor, Chugh lauded the decisive action taken by India’s security forces. He emphasized the Modi government’s unwavering stance against terrorism.

“Whether it is terrorists or their sponsors, India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not spare anyone. Operation Sindoor is a clear demonstration of the nation’s resolve, reach, and readiness to act,” he said.

Chugh reaffirmed that under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, the country would continue to prioritize national security and development with equal resolve.

He reiterated that the Chief Minister should stop adopting diversionary tactics to deflect people’s attention from his miserable performance during the last ten months and should be ready for debate on development, power, water, roads, health and education.