Will raise harassment of Kashmiris issues with HM Shah: CM Omar Abdullah
Jammu, Feb 5: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday stated that he would reiterate the issues of harassment of Kashmiris outside J&K, prisoners detained outside, harassment of newspersons and other issues during his meeting with the Union Home Minister arriving on February 5.
Winding up the debate on the motion of thanks on the Lieutenant Governorís address in the Legislative Assembly, the Chief Minister stated that he never remained silent on the critical issues confronting J&K as was alleged by his critics and opposition leaders.
ìI talked about our prisoners detained outside J&K privately and publicly. Propriety does not permit that I should share details about private deliberations. I also talked about harassment of Kashmiris outside J&K, harassment of journalists for doing legitimate stories about surveys of Imams of mosques. I raised the issue of harassment of Kashmiris during the north zone CMsí conference where the Union Home Minister and Union Home Secretary were also there. I will also reiterate these issues with the HM, who is reaching today, during my meeting with him,î he said.
Referring to the point mentioned by a member about him (CM), the Chief Minister stated, ìOne of the members here quoted me saying that the officers are not allowing me to work. ëOfficers donít listen to meí - (G A) Mir Sahib of Congress, said, quoting me. But the Speaker Sir, there is no truth in it. But yes, it's a reality that it is very difficult to work in the Union Territory (UT).î
ìIíve really had enough of it (UT setup). I don't know who invented the model of ìUT with assemblyî with what intention. I say if the Prime Minister has to give something as a gift to the country, he should abolish this system. If UT has to be retained then assembly should not be there. And if that region is capable of having an assembly, it should be granted the status of state. But this way of working with hands tied behind the back in the UT system is a big fraud with the peopleís mandate,î CM Omar opined.
Further elaborating on the difficulties of government functioning in the UT set up, he said, ìHow difficult it is to work in a UT, Iíll explain. Speaker Sir, you too have worked as the Finance Minister. Will you change your Finance Secretary, while preparing the budget and just ten days before its (budgetís) presentation? You wonít. We were preparing the budget and on social media, I read that our Finance Secretary was transferred to Delhi with immediate effect. Since it is UT (AGMUT) cadre so obviously our permission is not taken (for transfer). This was the situation. Probably nowhere else during the preparation of the budget, the Finance Secretary would have been transferred.î
However, after speaking to the Chief Secretary, an arrangement was made and it was ensured that the Finance Secretary did not leave the station (J&K) till February 9, the Chief Minister shared.
ìOtherwise, he (the Finance Secretary) would have gone. In that scenario I donít know how I would have prepared my budget. The most important post in the administration is considered to be that of Resident Commissioner Delhi as his mandate is to coordinate with the central government; to follow the projects; to get approvals and to establish liaison. But the post of our Resident Commissioner has been entrusted to the Divisional Commissioner Jammu as an additional charge. So, you can well imagine the scenario. It is the result that one feels bad seeing the pitiable condition of (JK House) Chanakyapuri,î CM Omar said.
ìThatís why I say the sooner this provision of UT with assembly gets removed from the constitution, the better it will be for this country. However, till then we should have proper business rules. That process of (approval after formulation) is underway. It took some time as it was not that simple. It is complicated. But Iíve full confidence that we will have the rectified business rules in the next few days and we can work properly till the statehood is not restored,î he assured the House.
The Chief Minister pointed out that the confusion of business rules hindered many works.
With regard to (rationalisation of) reservation rules, he stated that many members expressed their apprehensions.
Taking a dig, mainly, at the Kashmir based opposition parties, CM Omar maintained that none was talking about the reservation issue till the NC included it in its manifesto. ìThose who are now showing compassion with those raking with the reservation, earlier would not utter ever a word about it. I vividly remember that in fact during the parliamentary elections, the PDP leaders were specially given a direction that they would not talk about reservation. Reason being their president (Mehbooba Mufti) was contesting elections and she needed votes from Rajouri-Poonch. Now after we came to power, they want to raise it as an issue,î he targeted PDP.
The Chief Minister stated that his government did everything it could do and it fulfilled its promise made to the people. Within the six-months, as promised, the Cabinet Sub-Committee led by the Minister Sakina Itoo prepared its report and submitted it to the government, which examined it, he informed.
ìAfter examination, its cabinet note was prepared. Following it was deliberated by the cabinet ministers, approved it and sent it to the Lieutenant Governor. We finished our job. The Lieutenant Governor Sahib has forwarded it to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for further reference,î he shared with the House.
In the same breath, taking an oblique dig at the opposition parties and his own party MP, the Chief Minister dared, ìOne should tell those, who were after us parroting reservation and were feeling very proud, protesting outside my house, to now demonstrate their courage by raising at least just one slogan protesting outside the house of the honourable Home Minister, the Government of India. I would be convinced of their mettle, their courage.î
ìAt least they should seek an appointment with the Union Home Minister, during his visit to J&K, commencing from February 5. They should meet him with a memorandum and ask him (HM) to clear the case of reservation referred to him (HM),î he threw another challenge, adding that it was very easy to target his government.
ìWe have done our job but we are still being questioned. Now the ball is in the court of the Government of India. Had we been the state instead of a UT, probably this would not have been the situation. But we are fulfilling our duty. It will be good if those raising apprehensions and sharing concerns, too, play an active role and contribute in this connection. They too have friends there (in Delhi). They too can use their contacts there,î he stated.
