Omar accuses BJP of trying to buy NC legislators

In his strongest and first public outburst against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) since assuming office, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday accused the saffron party of attempting to destabilise his Government by engineering a split in the National Conference through money power and false promises.

Addressing party workers during the 26th death anniversary of Begum Akbar Jehan Abdullah at Hazratbal, Omar charged that one of the party’s legislators from Jammu was offered Rs 20–30 crore, a ministerial berth and a promise of statehood to switch sides. He said such efforts were aimed at weakening the National Conference but asserted that the party would not succumb to political pressure.

The sharp criticism came days ahead of the National Conference’s (NC) planned July 20 protest at Jantar Mantar in support of statehood restoration.

Invitations have been sent to more than 50 prominent personalities, including like-minded politicians, civil society activists, representatives of trade bodies, religious leaders, and other eminent citizens.

Feeling left out despite waiting patiently for the restoration of ‘statehood’, Omar also cautioned the centre that Jammu and Kashmir’s patience should not be mistaken for weakness. Unsparing, Omar also questioned why the promise to restore statehood remained unfulfilled despite the completion of the delimitation process and the Assembly elections.

In his fiery speech, Omar posed a direct question: why was New Delhi prepared to consider constitutional safeguards such as Article 371 for Ladakh while denying basic political rights to the people of J&K?

Omar said the Centre was adopting different yardsticks for two different Union Territories. They are holding a dialogue with the representatives of Ladakh while J&K continues to wait for the restoration of statehood despite repeated assurances. He said he had repeatedly raised the issue of statehood in meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, only to be told each time that restoration would happen “at the right time”.

“I ask them, for God’s sake, how will we know that the appropriate time has come,” asked the chief minister. “What do my colleagues and I have to do to reach that appropriate time?”

He also asked if the “appropriate time” implies the BJP coming to power in Jammu and Kashmir. “Have the courage to say it publicly,” said Omar Abdullah. “At least, we will not remain in this deception that you will fulfil the promise.”

Referring to the party’s approach towards the Centre, Omar said the National Conference had spent nearly two years seeking the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood through dialogue rather than confrontation.

“I repeatedly said we wanted to secure our rights through dialogue, not conflict. I consciously gave the Centre time to fulfil its promises. But today we are compelled to speak of protest because something has clearly changed,” he said.

Announcing that the National Conference would hold a protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on July 20, Omar said the party would peacefully intensify its demand for the restoration of statehood.

Questioning the functioning of the elected Government, Omar said if key decisions continued to be taken from Raj Bhavan, there was little purpose in holding elections.

“If everything has to be run from Raj Bhavan, if employees are to be dismissed and all major decisions taken there, then why were elections held? Why were we brought into government with our hands tied behind our backs?” he said.

He added, “Our demand is simple: restore the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir. Our patience remains, but it should never be mistaken for surrender.