Kathua/Jammu National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah on Wednesday attacked the BJP over its claims of a "new and prosperous" Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370 and alleged that the situation on ground was anything but. .
"I am compelled to ask what the people (of the Union Territory) have gotten in the last five years," he said.
Addressing a rally at Nagri in Kathua district, Abdullah said holding assembly elections before the September 30 deadline set by the Supreme Court was not a favor to the BJP-led Centre.
"They are talking about 'naya (new)' and 'khushhal (prosperous)' Jammu and Kashmir (after the abrogation of Article 370), but the situation on ground is completely opposite and that is why they could not hold elections to the assembly to date due to fear of defeat," said Abdullah, former chief minister of the erstwhile state.
Referring to Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy's statement that assembly elections would be held in September, he said, "If you are talking about elections today, you are not doing us any favours."
"It was the Supreme Court, which fixed the deadline of September 30 for holding assembly elections while delivering its judgment on abrogation of Article 370, otherwise it would have been delayed again on some pretext. The Lt. Governor (Manoj Sinha ) also talked about holding the elections and we are anxiously awaiting the polls," he stated.
Abdullah said there was no doubt about the election bugle sounding, although previously "we were worried about whether the elections would be held or not."
"After 2018 (when the PDP-BJP government collapsed), there has been no popular government in Jammu and Kashmir, which witnessed a major change in 2019," he said.
On August 5, 2019, the Center revoked Article 370 of the Constitution that granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir. He also divided the erstwhile state into two Union Territories: Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
Abdullah said the BJP made many promises while making constitutional changes, but nothing could be found on the ground five years later.
"They talked about industrialization, creating jobs and improving our lives by putting an end to terrorism. Today, given the situation, we are forced to ask ourselves what have we achieved in five years?" he said.
No major projects or industries have been created, inflation is at its peak and unemployment is the highest in the country, while terrorism has spread to the peaceful Jammu region, Abdullah alleged.
"At that time, it was said that the repeal of Article 370 would open the doors of development with the creation of new factories to accommodate our youth. From Kathua to Samba and Bari Brahmana (in the Jammu region), one only sees such factories and industrial units that were already there," said the leader of the National Conference.
He said the BJP had claimed that abrogation of Article 370 was necessary to save Jammu and Kashmir from Pakistani weapons and conspiracy.
"Today I speak with authority that Kathua is not as we left it in 2014 as there are frequent encounters and attacks and our brave security forces are sacrificing their lives. The situation is no different in Pir Panjal, Chenab Valley, Jammu and Udhampur and other parts of the Jammu region," he said.
Continuing his attack on the BJP, Abdullah said the administration was expelling people from their land, which had been given to them by the National Conference government headed by party founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, under a land-to-tiller scheme. .
Jammu and Kashmir was the only place in the country where Dalits stood tall and could get land rights, Abdullah said.
"This is a place where you can see a Dalit riding a horse to look for his girlfriend and no power can knock him down and force him to walk," he said.
Referring to the general elections, Abdullah said the Lok Sabha poll results showed that the National Conference was going to form the government in Jammu and Kashmir.
"We did not contest from Udhampur and Jammu and also lost our Baramulla seat but despite all this, the National Conference won the maximum number of assembly seats," he said. "We don't want a government where we have to receive support from anyone else."
Abdullah also advised the leaders to work hard to strengthen the party in Kathua district.
"I am compelled to ask what the people (of the Union Territory) have gotten in the last five years," he said.
Addressing a rally at Nagri in Kathua district, Abdullah said holding assembly elections before the September 30 deadline set by the Supreme Court was not a favor to the BJP-led Centre.
"They are talking about 'naya (new)' and 'khushhal (prosperous)' Jammu and Kashmir (after the abrogation of Article 370), but the situation on ground is completely opposite and that is why they could not hold elections to the assembly to date due to fear of defeat," said Abdullah, former chief minister of the erstwhile state.
Referring to Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy's statement that assembly elections would be held in September, he said, "If you are talking about elections today, you are not doing us any favours."
"It was the Supreme Court, which fixed the deadline of September 30 for holding assembly elections while delivering its judgment on abrogation of Article 370, otherwise it would have been delayed again on some pretext. The Lt. Governor (Manoj Sinha ) also talked about holding the elections and we are anxiously awaiting the polls," he stated.
Abdullah said there was no doubt about the election bugle sounding, although previously "we were worried about whether the elections would be held or not."
"After 2018 (when the PDP-BJP government collapsed), there has been no popular government in Jammu and Kashmir, which witnessed a major change in 2019," he said.
On August 5, 2019, the Center revoked Article 370 of the Constitution that granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir. He also divided the erstwhile state into two Union Territories: Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
Abdullah said the BJP made many promises while making constitutional changes, but nothing could be found on the ground five years later.
"They talked about industrialization, creating jobs and improving our lives by putting an end to terrorism. Today, given the situation, we are forced to ask ourselves what have we achieved in five years?" he said.
No major projects or industries have been created, inflation is at its peak and unemployment is the highest in the country, while terrorism has spread to the peaceful Jammu region, Abdullah alleged.
"At that time, it was said that the repeal of Article 370 would open the doors of development with the creation of new factories to accommodate our youth. From Kathua to Samba and Bari Brahmana (in the Jammu region), one only sees such factories and industrial units that were already there," said the leader of the National Conference.
He said the BJP had claimed that abrogation of Article 370 was necessary to save Jammu and Kashmir from Pakistani weapons and conspiracy.
"Today I speak with authority that Kathua is not as we left it in 2014 as there are frequent encounters and attacks and our brave security forces are sacrificing their lives. The situation is no different in Pir Panjal, Chenab Valley, Jammu and Udhampur and other parts of the Jammu region," he said.
Continuing his attack on the BJP, Abdullah said the administration was expelling people from their land, which had been given to them by the National Conference government headed by party founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, under a land-to-tiller scheme. .
Jammu and Kashmir was the only place in the country where Dalits stood tall and could get land rights, Abdullah said.
"This is a place where you can see a Dalit riding a horse to look for his girlfriend and no power can knock him down and force him to walk," he said.
Referring to the general elections, Abdullah said the Lok Sabha poll results showed that the National Conference was going to form the government in Jammu and Kashmir.
"We did not contest from Udhampur and Jammu and also lost our Baramulla seat but despite all this, the National Conference won the maximum number of assembly seats," he said. "We don't want a government where we have to receive support from anyone else."
Abdullah also advised the leaders to work hard to strengthen the party in Kathua district.
