ibn sultan
Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Sunday launched a sharp attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during the National Conference’s “Chalo Delhi” rally in Jammu, renewing his party’s demand for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood.
Questioning the BJP’s criticism of the National Conference’s proposed protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, Omar Abdullah asked, “If we cannot seek justice in our own country’s capital, should we go to President Donald Trump’s White House to demand our statehood?”
He said that if the BJP believes protests at Jantar Mantar or outside Parliament are unacceptable, it should clearly explain where the people of Jammu and Kashmir are expected to raise their demand for statehood.
The Chief Minister also responded to the BJP’s criticism over inviting Mirwaiz Umar Farooq to the proposed protest. He argued that the BJP has repeatedly claimed separatism has ended in Jammu and Kashmir, while at the same time continuing to label Mirwaiz as a separatist.
“Both claims cannot be true at the same time. Either separatism has ended, as the BJP says, or your own statements contradict that claim,” Omar Abdullah said.
Accusing the BJP of attempting to weaken opposition parties, Omar alleged that the party was carrying out “Operation Lotus” in Jammu and Kashmir to engineer defections within the National Conference.
His remarks came a day after BJP leaders rejected his allegations that National Conference legislators were offered between ₹20 crore and ₹30 crore each to switch political allegiance.
Omar Abdullah further accused the BJP of using similar political tactics in several States, including Maharashtra, West Bengal and Punjab, to destabilise opposition parties instead of relying solely on electoral victories.
Reaffirming his party’s stand, the Chief Minister said the National Conference would continue its democratic campaign for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood and urged the Central Government to honour its commitment to the people of the Union Territory.
