Omar, Lone seek ‘timely’ Assembly elections in Jammu & Kashmir
‘If you have to bow down in front of these powers, who are attacking you, then don’t do the election,’ Omar Abdullah said while attacking the Centre
Fearing that the BJP-led Union government may delay the scheduled Assembly election in Jammu & Kashmir due to an uptick in militancy, J&K National Conference (JKNC) vice-president Omar Abdullah and J&K Peoples Conference (JKPC) president Sajad Lone on July 11 underlined the urgency to hold the much-awaited election in the Union Territory (UT).
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“If you have to bow down in front of these powers, who are attacking you, then don’t do the election. If you have to prove the supremacy of militancy in comparison to the supremacy of your Army and police, then don’t do the election,” Mr. Abdullah, who attended special prayers at the graveyard of his grandmother Akbar Jehan on her death anniversary, said.
The former Chief Minister’s sarcastic remarks came in response to a question on growing militancy and any possible delay in elections, which otherwise are scheduled for September as per a Supreme Court ruling.
Mr. Abdullah insisted on timely elections in J&K but questioned the Central government over the security scenario. “Is there normalcy (in J&K)? If yes, then is the election possible? If this situation is worse than 1996, then don’t do the election,” Mr. Abdullah added. He urged the Centre not to “bow down in front of these powers”.
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JKPC’s Lone also sought timely elections. “It is imperative that Assembly elections are held on time. I honestly believe that only an administration accountable to the people of J&K has the right to rule and administer,” he said.
The leader said that he will let his “worst electoral rival” be elected and he “would prefer that government a million times over an alien government, which falsely claims to be stakeholders with political and social sanctity”.
“They don’t and never will. A non-resident government would be unacceptable here or in any part of India. Would those in charge accept non-resident governments in their own states?” Mr. Lone asked. He urged the Centre “to stop acting as individuals and start acting as an institution”.
“End this pain. First restore Atatehood, not out of charity but as a matter of right. Hold elections and transfer power to the new government. Good or bad, people will elect, and the elected will govern, just like in the rest of the country. No government is perfect, and none will ever be. Despite imperfections, like in other states, let the newly elected government take office,” Mr. Lone said. He said that the Centre should “stop giving the impression that you are at war with your own people in J&K.”
The last Assembly elections in J&K were held in 2014. The UT has remained under Central rule since 2018.
Meanwhile, the Congress organised a street protest in Jammu over “failure of the government to contain militancy”.
Saying that 42 security personnel have died in Jammu since 2020, J&K Congress president Waqar Rasool Wani questioned the normalcy claimed being made by the Narendra Modi-led Union government. “There was peace and normalcy in J&K after the abrogation of Article 370 is a false claim. Even relatively peaceful Jammu is witnessing a resurgence of terrorism,” Mr. Wani said. He alleged the BJP government and the administration have failed “to halt the cycle of terrorist attacks”. “Anti-terrorism policies of the government have failed,” he said.
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Jammu and Kashmir
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Assembly Elections
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terrorism (crime)
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election
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politics