Former Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday promised to repeal the controversial public safety act (PSA) if his party, National Conference (NC), returns to power with a majority.

“I assure you and through you, I assure the people of Jammu & Kashmir that the day National Conference makes its Government on its own, God willing in 2019, within days I will repeal PSA. I am telling you (workers) that I will blot it out from the papers forever,” Omar told party workers in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district headquarters.

“My Government in 2011 had mellowed down the PSA by bringing some amendments to it. However, this time I assure you all if NC comes to power on its own with a strong mandate, we will take no time to revoke the act completely,” he said.

“I continued to pursue the revocation of AFSPA throughout my stint as Chief Minister. I have not given up on the issue, and once in power will revive the effort of pursuing the matter with forthcoming Central Government,” he said.

Taking a dig at former BJP-PDP Government’s under-performance and misrule, the NC Vice President said, “The former BJP-PDP Government wasn’t able to carry forward the momentum of good work initiated by my Government. Instead the coalition bequeathed the State towards morass and destruction.”

Describing his arch rival Mehbooba Mufti’s attempt to reach out to families of militants as “crocodile tear shedding” Abdullah said that Mehbooba Mufti dismantled everything that had been gained during the previous rule on reconciliation and lessening the foot-print of security forces.

Omar said that Mehbooba’s supplication for releasing prisoners is too late an effort to move people. “People have seen it all with their eyes as to who opened the flood gates for all those forces as are contriving hard to destroy the State,” he said.