Srinagar, Sep 25 : Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday challenged the BJP to take a clear position on the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood, saying its legislators should neither abstain nor walk out when the Assembly votes on the resolution seeking its immediate restoration.
Speaking to reporters after moving the resolution in the Legislative Assembly, Omar said the members should debate the issue in a disciplined manner and then vote.
“I will tell them to say whatever they want to say in the House, let the House be disciplined, debate, say whatever you want to say, we will answer, after that vote for the statehood. Neither abstain, nor walk out, nor make noise, vote,” he said.
“If they are in favour of the statehood, then say yes, if they are against the statehood, say no, people will know,” the Chief Minister added.
Omar said there was “nothing wrong” with the resolution and argued that its purpose was only to convey the elected Assembly’s position to the Centre.
“All this resolution seeks to do is to take the voice of the Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir and send it to New Delhi,” he said.
The resolution moved by Omar seeks the immediate restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. Its introduction triggered an uproar in the House, with BJP members objecting particularly to a reference to the Assembly’s 2000 autonomy resolution. ([Kashmir Observer][1])
‘Two years is a long time’
Asked why the resolution was being brought now and what the compelling reason was for moving it in the Assembly, Omar said the government had waited long enough.
“Because two years is a very long time to make us wait,” he said.
He said the Assembly was the appropriate forum because it represented a wider political spectrum than the government or the Council of Ministers.
“Clearly, the voice of the Cabinet was not considered to be the voice of the people. Therefore, since the legislature represents the entire spectrum of political opinion in Jammu and Kashmir, the Cabinet only represents the ruling party. The legislature represents parties that are not part of the government,” Omar said.
He said the issue should not be viewed through the lens of the ruling party or his government.
“Statehood is not about the government. Statehood is not about my family. Statehood is not about a political party or an individual. Statehood is about the entire Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
‘Voice must go from Assembly’
Omar said the resolution was intended to formally convey the Assembly’s demand to the Union government.
“That is why we brought this resolution in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly so that we can call on the central government to restore the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
He also said the immediate question after the resolution was whether the BJP would support the position being put forward by the Assembly.
“We want that full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir be restored immediately. We want that this voice go from the Assembly. Now the only thing that remains to be seen is whether the BJP is part of the voice of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. That will be known when the discussion starts,” he added.(KNS)
CM Omar Challanges BJP to take clear position on statehood
After moving resolution in Assembly, CM says two years too long to wait; asks BJP not to abstain, walk out or create noise during debate
Leave a comment
Leave a comment
