Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s statement in the State Assembly on Wednesday evoked sharp reactions from the Bharatiya Janata Party, with its senior leader terming the statement “irresponsible.” Congress however, chose to steer clear from its ally’s statement but asserted that the State was “an integral part of India.”
In a strong reaction, senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi on Friday said Mr. Omar Abdullah’s speech was akin to the separatists’ stand.
“His (Abdullah) statement gives rise to several doubts. Is he saying Jammu and Kashmir was not merged? Is he challenging the Constitution and overlooking his own (J-K) Constitution? His is an irresponsible statement which encourages separatists who are saying the same thing in different words," Mr. Joshi told reporters in New Delhi.
The former HRD Minister maintained that since Mr. Abdullah holds a “responsible, constitutional position” he should not have made these remarks in the State Assembly.
The principal opposition made three demands to Mr. Abdullah while asking him to clarify his position.
“He should not try to internationalise a domestic issue. He should not support separatists and protesters. He should not say that the eight-point formula of the Centre will not succeed when he was consulted on all points, except on re-opening of schools,” Mr. Joshi said.
Congress for caution
Refraining from commenting specifically on Mr. Omar’s remarks, Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari told reporters here, “Since 1947 till now, Congress has always been firm that the State is an integral party of India and will remain so.”
Mr. Tewari, however, said “I have not had the occasion to peruse his entire speech,” adding sometimes there are extrapolations in what one actually says and in what context."
When it was pointed out that senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi had crticised Mr. Omar, Mr. Tewari said, “Things have returned to normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir after a long time and it is the responsibility of all mainstream parties to ensure that any statement on the issues concerning the state is given responsibly and with caution.”
He, however, refused to say whether the suggestion also applies to Mr. Omar.
Pandits condemn Omar's comments
Terming Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's remarks in the State Assembly as "anti-India", an organisation of Kashmiri Pandits on Friday demanded his dismissal accusing him of speaking on separatist lines.
The All parties Migrants Co-Ordination Committee (APMCC) Chairman Vinood Pandit said that the displaced Pandits were shocked by Omar's speech on the floor of the House "in which he had taken a U-turn to speak on separatist lines."
Criticising the Chief Minister for advocating autonomy to the State, he said, the clock cannot be put back.
"If Centre grants Autonomy then it should also return the land snatched from Pandits and Rajputs in the name of land to tillers agitation at the time of Sheikh Mohd Abdullah for which they were not even paid compensation," he said.
Mr. Omar had said on Wednesday in the Assembly that Jammu and Kashmir had not merged with India but acceded to it.
