Abdullah lamented that areas previously declared free of militancy have witnessed a disturbing resurgence of armed conflict…reports Asian Lite News
Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah sounded an alarm on Wednesday, saying that the landscape of Jammu and Kashmir has undergone profound changes since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, with a pervasive sense of ‘destruction’ prevailing across the region.
Addressing reporters following a public gathering in Kupwara as part of his electoral campaign for the Baramulla parliamentary constituency, Abdullah painted a grim picture of the current scenario, according to news agency PTI.
Highlighting the resurgence of violence, Abdullah lamented that areas previously declared free of militancy have witnessed a disturbing resurgence of armed conflict.
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He pointed to incidents like targeted killings in Srinagar and persistent attacks on security forces in Rajouri-Poonch as glaring indicators of the deteriorating security situation.
Abdullah rebutted the BJP’s assertions of progress and improvement in J&K, asserting that contrary to claims, the situation has only worsened, with destruction escalating unabated.
Undeterred by the challenges, Abdullah continued his campaign in Kupwara, addressing party workers at a convention in Kalaroos.
He rallied against communal forces, asserting that the people of Kashmir have discerned those aligning with the BJP and spreading hatred against Muslims.
Abdullah’s remarks, veiled yet pointed, alluded to the BJP’s attempts to infiltrate Kashmir through covert means, symbolized by the lotus flower, the BJP’s electoral symbol.
Abdullah’s rhetoric took a sharper tone as he questioned the motives behind these alliances, citing instances of religious discrimination and intolerance faced by Kashmiri Muslims.
He criticized the BJP’s overtures towards Kashmir, questioning whether it aimed to replicate the oppressive systems experienced elsewhere in the country.
Recently, Abdullah expressed hope that both the governments of India and Pakistan would create such an environment to start the process of dialogue.
He also said there is still a long way to go to control militancy in the Union Territory.
“The BJP should answer the terror attack on an IAF convoy in Poonch. I have been saying that militancy has enveloped a few areas that were becoming militancy-free as long as I was the Chief Minister. Like Srinagar and areas adjacent to it and Rajouri-Poonch,” Omar said while addressing a public gathering in Kupwara’s Langate.
“But you see (media) how many targeted killings took place in Srinagar, how many encounters took place in Poonch, how many terror attacks took place in Rajouri, what kind of terror attacks took place in Kokernag. The reality is it will take a lot of time to control militancy,” said Omar, the National Conference, Vice-President
He was replying to a query related to the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir post-2019.
Omar Abdullah who is contesting from Baramulla Lok Sabha seat will vote in the fifth phase on May 20.
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