Rightwing gibberish intended to appease BJP: Sajad Lone

Srinagar, Nov 13: Peoples' Conference president Sajad Lone on Wednesday described Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's remarks on the Indus Water Treaty as "rightwing gibberish" intended to appease the ruling BJP at the Centre.

Abdullah on Tuesday said the treaty between India and Pakistan was restricting the Union Territory's ability to harness its huge hydel power potential, primarily due to storage constraints.

However, Handwara MLA Lone said the criticism was music to the ears of the ruling party at the Centre.

"Typical rightwing gibberish. And a recently elected chief minister is bending his back backwards to please the ruling party at the Centre," he said in a post on X.

The Peoples' Conference chief said he personally did not support the treaty as it was "unfair" and signed by the then ruling party in India.

However, he criticised the National Conference for its inaction on water resource management.

"May I, as a Kashmiri, ask that what have the previous ruling parties, especially the National Conference, which has been in power for the longest time, done with our water resources?" he said in the post.

He said Jammu and Kashmir had not harnessed even 20 per cent of its potential in hydroelectricity.

"And what we have harnessed is mostly owned by the NHPC. The NHPC's most profitable projects are in Jammu and Kashmir. We should have been net exporters of power. (But) we are net importers of power," he added.

He urged Abdullah to advocate for Jammu and Kashmir's rights over its water resources.