BHADERWAH, DECEMBER 1: Jammu and Kashmir National Conference vice president and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday that after the abrogation of Article 370, there has been no place left in Kashmir where one can feel safe.
“Forget peace, there is no place in Kashmir where we can consider ourselves safe,’’ Omar said addressing a public rally at Bhaderwah in Doda district. “We are seeing the gun again even in places we had cleared of militancy before 2014,’’ he added.
“No one can say that they are coming with gun from outside or Pakistan as unfortunately many of them are local Kashmiri youth who are holding the gun for one or the other reason,’’ he said. “In Srinagar, where we had removed 40 bunkers when Sajjad Kitchloo was Minister of State for Home, not only new bunkers have come up at those places, but ask Sagar Sahib (former minister Ali Mohammad Sagar) who lives in the down town where he had got constructed community halls and marriage halls for general public, all those are being handed over to security forces for setting up camps,’’ he added.
“While it was being told to the world that Article 370 had been the root cause of the presence of gun and the Kashmiri Pandits could not return home because of it, tell me where the gun has gone and how many Kashmiri Pandits have come back to Kashmir two and a half years after its abrogation,’’ he asked.
On the contrary, they have been selectively killed during this government, NC leader said. Even Makhan Lal Bindroo, who did not leave Srinagar even during peak militancy and who used to open his medical shop from 1990-96, also fell to militants bullets few days ago, Omar said, asking as to “who will answer the false promises made to us that everything will get right. Nothing has got right,’’ he added.
Now strange things are happening, he said, pointing out that two days ago, a BJP leader says that J&K will not get statehood until complete peace comes and militant attacks on civilians are stopped. “Who is responsible if militant attacks are taking place even today and the security arrangements not in order,’’ he asked, adding that BJP has its government in Delhi and you have your own Lt Governor in Srinagar.
But saying that statehood will not be restored until normalcy comes, for what people are being punished, he asked. “It is your incompetence, your failure and people here face the punishment. What kind of justice it is,’’ he asked.