Omar Abdullah said that J&K would not have been downgraded to a UT had late Vajpayee’s strategy on Kashmir been followed….reports Asian Lite News
Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah said on Tuesday that the erstwhile state would not have been downgraded to a Union Territory had the road map of former Prime Minister, late Atal Bihari Vajpayee been followed.
Speaking during the obituary references in the legislative Assembly, Omar Abdullah said that J&K would not have been downgraded to a UT had late Vajpayee’s strategy on Kashmir been followed.
CM Omar recalled that after the then Assembly passed a resolution for greater autonomy to J& K, which New Delhi had rejected during Vajpayee’s prime ministership, “Vajpayee realised his mistake and then he designated the then law minister to engage in a dialogue with the state government on the subject. But, as providence would have it, he passed away and that was it.”
“What should I say about late Vajpayee? He was a great visionary. Vajpayee was a towering personality, who started the Lahore bus and went to Minar-e-Pakistan.
“He always tried to build friendly ties with Pakistan. He was the one who continuously stated that friends can be changed, but not neighbours”, CM Omar added.
He said that Vajpayee’s slogan of ‘Insaniyat, (humanity), Jamhuriyat (Democracy) and Kashmiriyat (identity of the Kashmiri people)’ was full of vision and a reflection of his statesmanship.
“Perhaps, he was the first and last leader who raised this slogan”, he said. Omar said that it was Vajpayee who opened roads to connect the people of divided parts of J&K.
“The motive behind opening of roads was to connect people and the civil society so that a personal relationship is created. But, unfortunately, the path and the road map shown by Vajpayee has been left midway and instead of connecting people, distances are being created. If Vajpayee’s road map on J&K would have been implemented and followed, we would not have been where we are at present,” Omar said as he paid rich tributes to Vajpayee.
The chief minister also paid tribute to BJP MLA, late Devender Singh Rana stating that he wasn’t aware about the health condition of his friend.
“If I am more pained over the death of any member, that is Devender. He was a great friend with whom I have spent the prime time of my life. I never knew about his failing health. If I would have been aware of his health, perhaps I would have tried to end the distances and indignation”, Omar said.
Security forces gun down terrorist in Valley
One unidentified terrorist was killed in a gunfight between the security forces and terrorists in J&K’s Bandipora district on Tuesday.
Officials said that the terrorist was killed during an encounter between terrorists and the security forces in Ketsun forest in Bandipora district.
“The operation is still going on in the area.
The identity of the slain terrorist will be ascertained once the encounter ends,” the officials said.
Ever since an elected government took office in J&K, terrorists have increased their activities as the intelligence agencies believe the terror handlers sitting across the border in Pakistan have been frustrated due to the participation of a large number of people in peaceful elections in J&K.
On November 2, a top commander of the LeT identified as Usman Bhai alias Chota Waleed of Pakistan was killed after a daylong gunfight in the old Srinagar city Khanyar area. Two local policemen and two CRPF troopers were injured in the Khanyar gunfight.
Last month, terrorists killed six workers of an infrastructure project company and a local doctor in the Gagangir area of the Ganderbal district. The workers were building a tunnel from Gagangir to Sonamarg tourist resort to make the Srinagar-Sonamarg an all-weather road and generate economic growth and employment in the area. Those killed in the Gagangir attack included six non-local workers and a doctor belonging to the Budgam district.
Later on, terrorists killed three army soldiers and two porters in the Botapathri area of Gulmarg in Baramulla district.
Terrorists have also targeted non-local semi-skilled workers in Shopian Assembly Constituency’s Budgam districts. Although the terrorist targets escaped with minor injuries.
Lt Governor Manoj Sinha has given clear orders to police and other security forces to go after terrorists, their harbourers, sympathisers and overground workers (OGWs).
The occurrence of terrorist attacks in places hitherto believed to be free of militancy has been a worrisome development for the security forces as a single terror-related incident disturbs peace that has been painstakingly achieved by the security forces.
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