Inflation, unemployment are the biggest challenges for new government in J&K: Farooq
Shadow Correspondent
Srinagar, Oct 9 :
National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said that the first business of the new Cabinet should be to pass a resolution asking to restore the statehood.
He said the new Chief Minister should travel to Delhi with the resolution and call on the senior leadership of the country and ask them to fulfill their promise.
Omar, who is likely to be next Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, also emphasized that the new government will represent every citizen of the region, irrespective of whom they voted for, or whether they voted at all.
Speaking to the media, Omar stressed that the government will not just be of the National Conference or its alliance but will be inclusive of all, especially focusing on areas where fewer coalition MLAs were elected.
The NC Vice President also revealed that discussions are ongoing with several independent MLAs about their joining in the National Conference. “A few have spoken to us, and talks with them are still in progress,” he said.
Regarding the timeline for government formation, Omar indicated that a legislative party meeting of the elected members is scheduled for tomorrow, followed by an alliance meeting to decide on the leader of the coalition.
“The leader of the alliance, as assumed, will take the letter of support and go to Raj Bhawan to stake a claim and request the Lieutenant Governor to fix a date for the swearing-in ceremony. I would like that to happen as soon as possible because we have been without an elected government since 2018. The time has come to get back to work,” he added.
When asked about his father, National Conference President Farooq Abdullah, naming him as the next Chief Minister, Omar expressed gratitude but clarified that the decision lies with the elected legislators and the alliance.
“I love my father dearly and appreciate the confidence he has placed in me. However, the procedure must be followed, and it’s up to the elected members and the alliance to make the final decision,” the former J&K CM stated.
When asked what his first priority would be, Omar refrained from making hypothetical statements.
However, he said that the incoming government’s focus should be on passing a resolution to restore Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood.
“The Chief Minister should travel to Delhi with that resolution, meet with the senior leadership of the country, and ask them to fulfill their promise. The Prime Minister and Home Minister have promised to restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, and we hope that will be done soon,” he said.
Omar was clear that the restoration of statehood was a promise made to Jammu and Kashmir, regardless of the political party in power.
“They didn’t say statehood would be restored only to a BJP government. It was promised to the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” he stressed.
The NC Vice President reiterated that the party will not remain silent on the restoration of Article 370, although it has no illusions about the
First business of
immediate prospects. “We are not going to mislead people. I have often said that those who took Article 370 away from us are not going to restore it voluntarily. But we will keep the issue alive, and we will continue to talk about it. Perhaps someday, the political leadership at the center will change, and we will have the opportunity to negotiate something meaningful for Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
Earlier the day, Omar said that voters acted with careful consideration, particularly in regions where attempts were made to divide the vote by fielding independent candidates and small parties.
“The voters of Kashmir, along with the Pahari community in Jammu, courageously resisted these conspiracies,” he said, adding that, “More than 40 percent of the candidates contesting the elections were independents, but except for two or three, all failed to win.”
“Our responsibility starts now. The voters have done their duty, and it is our turn to work and prove ourselves worthy of their trust,” he added.
National Conference President Farooq Abdullah on Wednesday said there are so many challenges for the new government in Jammu and Kashmir and one of the biggest challenge is skyrocketing inflation and unemployment.
Farooq said this while talking to media persons at his Gupkar residence in Srinagar.
“I have a big fear of the people who voted and trusted us, may almighty help us to prove that trust”, he said.
The former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister said that there are so many challenges and one of the biggest challenge is skyrocketing inflation besides there is tremendous unemployment and miseries among the people.
“Our Children are educated but unemployed..we have to provide them jobs”, the NC President asserted.
He said the differences created between the two regions of Jammu and Kashmir have to be minimised.
“We have to try to take care in the same way we take care of the people of Kashmir so that the trust of people of Jammu could be won”, Farooq said and added “We will not differentiate between the people of Kashmir and Jammu inspite of the fact that they did not vote in favour of us”.
He said it is our duty to redress their grievances also.
Opposing the decision to authorise the Lieutenant Governor to nominate five additional MLAs to the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah on Wednesday said that if it happens, they will take the matter to the Supreme Court to seek justice in accordance with the Constitution.
Abdullah asserted that only the elected government of the territory has the authority to nominate additional MLAs to the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly.
“Under the Constitution of India, this cannot be done. The government that comes to power nominates MLAs. We will knock on the door of the Supreme Court if this happens, and we are hopeful that the Supreme Court will hear our plea and deliver justice as per the Constitution,” he said.
The territory’s Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha is set to nominate five members in addition to the 90 elected members of the Assembly.
Reacting to PM Modi’s remarks on Congress, Abdullah accused him and other BJP leaders of spreading hatred in the Jammu region.
Farooq Abdullah said, “Who gave birth to hatred in Jammu, was it Congress? The Home Minister came, the Prime Minister came, many of their ministers came to stir up hatred… We have never supported terrorism and never will.”
A day after securing a historic win in the Haryana Assembly elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday criticised the Congress party, accusing it of dividing Hindu society for political gains.
“The Congress policy is to pit one caste of Hindus against another. Congress knows that the more Hindus are divided, the more it will benefit. Congress wants to stoke divisions in Hindu society to make political gains. Wherever elections are held in India, Congress applies this formula,” PM Modi said.
Meanwhile, the National Conference-Congress alliance secured an absolute majority in J-K by winning 49 seats, with the former taking 42 and the latter 6 seats.
Farooq Abdullah announced that party Vice President Omar Abdullah would be the next Chief Minister. Omar Abdullah expressed his gratitude but emphasised that the final decision rests with the legislators and the alliance.
