Srinagar, Sept 2 (JKNS): Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday accused the administration and police of treating the BJP and National Conference protests differently in Srinagar, saying there was no comparison between the two demonstrations.
Speaking to reporters in Srinagar, as per news agency JKNS, Omar alleged that while the BJP protest was facilitated by the administration, National Conference workers were prevented from marching towards the BJP office and several party workers were allegedly injured.
“Please, don’t draw a false equivalence. Because there is no equivalence in the way in which the two parties were treated by the administration, by the police. One was facilitated and one was brutally repressed,” Omar said.
He claimed that some of his party colleagues were dragged during the protest and sustained injuries, with some subsequently requiring medical treatment.
“The BJP was escorted. You were there. I saw many of you accompanying that protest,” the Chief Minister said, referring to media coverage of the BJP demonstration.
Omar also hit back at Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma’s demand for his resignation, saying he would not step down to satisfy the BJP leader.
“Why should I resign?” Omar said, asserting that the people of Jammu and Kashmir had given his government a five-year mandate.
“The people of Jammu and Kashmir have given us five years. We will present our report card to the people after five years,” he said.
On allegations of backdoor appointments, the Chief Minister questioned which investigating agency had established such allegations, pointing out that the Anti-Corruption Bureau, Crime Branch and CID were not under his control.
He also welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision to quash FIRs against youth protesters, saying such cases should not have been registered against them in the first place.
On the recent developments in Nepal and concerns over Jammu and Kashmir’s vulnerability to glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), Omar said the government had already initiated research on the potential threat.
“We did not wait for Nepal. We already knew that the GLOF can definitely pose a threat to Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
The Chief Minister said funds had been allocated in his first budget for research on GLOFs, with research institutions, universities and experts working to assess the threat and suggest preventive measures.
“Whatever advice we get from the experts, we will definitely consider it,” Omar said. (JKNS)
