Riyaz ul Khaliq
SRINAGAR
How was not allying with right wing Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) a repeat of 1947 and 1987 like situation, Chief Minister Ms Mehbooba Mufti was asked on Wednesday by Leader of Opposition and her predecessor Omar Abdullah.
Participating in the debate over grants to departments working under CM, Omar Abdullah said people want to know “how it (no PDP-BJP alliance) was not possible”.
The discussion on grants to departments under CM was winded up by CM Ms Mufti today after two days of discussion. A total of 46 Lawmakers spoke on grants before CM wound up the discussion.
“People want to know how PDP and BJP came together,” Omar said addressing Ms Mehbooba Mufti who entered Lower House of J&K Legislature around 3:30 PM today. It was Election Day of Ms Mufti who is fighting by-polls from Islamabad.
Omar charged CM Ms Mehbooba of maintaining “silence on such issues”.
Omar, however, asserted that Opposition Lawmakers were not against the content of Agenda of Alliance (AoA) document, “but the issue about its non-implementation was raised by not only us but your own people.”
“We did not say that AoA anti-national but questions were raised over its non- implementation during your government’s first year,” Omar told Ms Mehbooba Mufti.
“Don’t say yours is a two months’ government. Ministers are almost same which were there in late Mufti led PDP-BJP alliance,” he added.
The former CM asked Ms Mehbooba to explain to the House as “what PDP-BJP government did since March 2015?”
Omar said that Ms Mufti is silent on what PM Narendra Modi gave in assurance to her on CBMs. “You did U-turn and sat in CM’s chair.”
Asking Ms Mufti to take house in confidence, Omar told CM to “reveal what PM had told her”.
PDP-BJP Alliance
Omar questioned Ms Mehbooba Mufti of her justifying PDP’s alliance with BJP.
“You gave two reasons,” Omar told Ms Mehbooba, “one not to repeat 1987 situation and not let Jammu witness 1947 mayhem.”
“You charged my father of letting 1987 situation go out of hand and Salahuddin was crated,” Omar told Ms Mufti, “yeah, I know my father’s weaknesses.”
However, he reminded Ms Mufti that it was alliance of National Conference and Congress. “NC was headed by Dr Farooq and everyone knows who headed Congress in 1987,” Omar told the house during his over 30 minutes speech.
“If NC is responsible for 1987 situation then INC is equally responsible,” he said. Late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed headed then J&K Congress in 1987. “If Dr Farooq is responsible then PCC chief too should be held responsible.”
He supported his argument by saying that photos of the then elections are available.
Notably, PDP has been accusing NC of letting militancy erupt in Kashmir due to fraud in 1987 Kashmir elections.
On second point, Omar asked Ms Mufti whether Jammu’s Hindu BJP members were killers of Muslims of Jammu.
“You told us that if there was no alliance between PDP and BJP, 1947 would be repeated in Jammu,” Omar told Ms Mufti.
“I wasn’t born then nor were you,” he addressed CM’s chair.
While commenting on it, he also mentioned BJP Minister Lal Singh’s threatening of Jammu Muslims by reminding them of 1947 mayhem.
“This means that all of your colleagues are killers,” he told Mehbooba, “so to save Muslims of Jammu from Hindus of Jammu, you had to form this alliance?”
However, Omar castigated Mehbooba “for misunderstanding people of Jammu.” “They are emotional like us but they would not have repeated 1947. We know them; my arty won two seats from Jammu region.”
But, Omar told PDP, “you wanted power and misled people.”
The NC working president that it was not for the first time votes of J&K were divided between Kashmir and Jammu.
“In pre-1987 era, NC was a major party from Kashmir and Congress from Jammu but NC always remained in power,” he told the house.
Detention of Hurriyat Leaders
The NC leader questioned PDP over its silence of “Battle of Ideas” slogans. “Where are they? We couldn’t find it in Islamabad segment? Hurriyat Leaders are arrested,” Omar told the Treasury Benches.
Ironically, Omar told Ms Mehbooba, “you used a case from same 1987 elections against Hurriyat leaders and detained them.”
In run up to June 22 Islamabad By-Polls, government invoked a case dated 1987 against Syed Ali Geelani, Mohammad Yasin Malik, Nayeem Khan and others. Malik was arrested and later bailed out. However, court issued warrants against Geelani, Khan and others.
On the issue of arrests during 2015, Omar reminded Ms Mufti of her Opposition days.
“Your government detained more than 800 people and more than 300 were from summer capital,” he told CM, “did you forget your Opposition days when you would create ruckus for minor stone pelting.”
In a scathing attack, Omar questioned the deliverance of justice in state. He asked government as how no FIR was registered against those found involved in violence. “22 persons were released the day they were arrested; how was it possible when they were found accused of vandalism?”
Following allegations of temple desecration, some people in Jammu resorted to violence and burnt down a few vehicles as well.
He said government instead took action against SHO whose Police Station was attacked.
Handwara Case
Omar asked Ms Mehbooba that she did not answer as who was telling truth. “Is it the girl or the J&K Police?” Omar asked the CM.
Omar also raised certain questions on the implementation of PM’s Rs 80000 crore economic package.
He questioned government’s intention about Fast Track Recruitment especially in Education Department.
He asked CM to implement seventh pay commission. He said that J&K had its own pay commission up to 1997. “But then we J&K had to follow union government because of the situation.”
