Shadow Correspondent
Jammu, Aug 19 :
Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Vice President of Jammu and Kashmir, Yudhvir Sethi on Monday criticised National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah for trying to mislead people of Jammu and Kashmir and ruin the Union Territory.
Speaking to ANI, Sethi said “Omar Abdullah should speak the truth and accept that things that have gone will never come back. Secondly, despite losing in the Supreme Court, Omar Abdullah has been misleading people and that is the reason why there was so much terrorism, nepotism and corruption here.”
With elections scheduled in Jammu and Kashmir for the first time since the abrogation of Article 370, Sethi’s comments reflect the ongoing political tensions in the region.
Further, he suggested Omar to accept that things that have gone will never come back regarding Article 370 and further said that he should stop misleading people.
Sethi alleged that Omar Abdullah wants to come back to the same position again and wants to ruin the Union Territory.
“He (Omar Abdullah) wants to come back to the same position again and he wants to ruin the Union Territory,” Sethi said.
Notably, National Conference on Monday launched its Manifesto that promised 12 guarantees to the people of the Union Territory.
The party’s Vice President Omar Abdullah launched the manifesto that includes some huge promises like- restoration of Article 370, 35-A and statehood, redrawing the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 and return and rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits.
The first guarantee of the NC’s manifesto envisage the restoration of political and legal status of the Union Territory and said that the party would strive to restore Article 370-35A and statehood prior to August 5, 2019.
Regarding talks with Pakistan, Sethi said the Indian government will only engage when Pakistan stops supporting terrorism and improves its behavior.
“Until there is no complete peace, terrorist attacks are completely stopped and until Pakistan does not improve, only blunt answers will be given to Pakistan,” said Sethi .
He also criticized the National Conference’s manifesto, calling it “useless” and designed to push Jammu and Kashmir towards Pakistan.
“Firstly, whatever they are saying about the prisoners being in jail is wrong and he is only misleading people. The government has said time and again that there are no prisoners in the jail. Secondly, their manifesto is made in such a manner that they want to ruin Jammu Kashmir again in the direction of Pakistan. The manifesto is useless.
Elections are to be held in Jammu Kashmir for the first time after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.
The election body has directed the enforcement agencies to be impartial and transparent for smooth and fair polling, ensuring a level playing field.
Jammu and Kashmir will witness elections after a gap of 10 years, as the last assembly election was held in 2014. The PDP-BJP coalition government fell in June 2018 when the latter withdrew support to the then-Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti.
In December of last year, the Supreme Court directed the Centre to conclude the election process by September 30, 2024.
