National capital should be shifted out of Delhi: Farooq Abdullah

Jammu, Nov 17: Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and president of the ruling National Conference (NC), Dr Farooq Abdullah said on Sunday that as long as the national capital is not shifted from New Delhi to somewhere else, the choking pollution in the city is not going to go away.

Talking to media persons here, Farooq Abdullah said that the national capital should be shifted somewhere else from Delhi.

“Unless the national capital is shifted somewhere else from Delhi, pollution affecting the lives of the people there is not going to go away,” he said.

The national capital has been grappling with high pollution levels which remained in the 'severe' category for the fifth day in a row on Sunday, with an air quality index (AQI) of 428 at 7.30 a.m.

Asked about the performance of the Omar Abdullah-headed NC government in the union territory, which has completed one month in office, the elder Abdullah said, “We have achieved much during this short period. We have five years still left in power and all that we have promised to people in our manifesto will be achieved.”

He questioned the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president, Mehbooba Mufti’s right to question the intentions of the NC with regard to its election manifesto.

“Why is she bothered about us? We said clearly in our manifesto what we want to achieve and all that will be achieved,” Dr Abdullah asserted.

Asked about the security meetings being held in the UT wherein Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has not been invited, Dr Abdullah said, “We are in power just for one month so far. Don’t worry about this. Everything will happen in due time.”

He said this in reply to a question about the demand being raised by some Hindu organisations that their community should also have a board like the Waqf board of Muslims, he said the matter is being debated in Parliament. He said that when the Parliament meets on November 25, these issues can be discussed in the House.