Omar Accuses Police of ‘Brutally’ Suppressing NC Protest, Facilitating BJP March
Srinagar, Sep 2, KNT: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday accused the administration of adopting “double standards” in dealing with the rival National Conference and BJP protests in Srinagar, alleging that one demonstration was facilitated while the other was “brutally” stopped by police.
Talking to reporters after the protests, Omar said NC workers and elected representatives were dragged and injured when police prevented them from proceeding towards the BJP headquarters in Jawahar Nagar.
“One protest was facilitated and another protest was suppressed, brutally stopped,” Omar said, alleging that some of his party workers and colleagues were dragged and injured during the action.
He questioned why BJP workers were allowed to march towards the Chief Minister’s residence and proceed for a proposed Secretariat gherao, while the National Conference was prevented from holding a protest outside the BJP office.
“You are allowed to take a march to the Chief Minister’s residence, you are allowed to go to the Secretariat gherao, but at the same time you deny a legitimate protest by the National Conference. You are not allowed to protest outside the BJP office because the police is there to protect the honour of the BJP,” Omar said.
The Chief Minister’s remarks came after the NC protest was stopped at Raj Bagh while attempting to move towards the BJP headquarters in Jawahar Nagar. The BJP, meanwhile, had marched from Lal Chowk towards the Civil Secretariat before police stopped the procession at Jehangir Chowk, with a small group of BJP leaders managing to reach near the Secretariat.
Responding to a question on the BJP’s demand that he resign and seek a fresh mandate on the issue of statehood, Omar rejected the suggestion, saying his government had contested the elections with statehood among its key political issues.
“Why should I resign?” Omar said, questioning why the BJP, which he said had influence over the restoration of statehood, had not restored it if the issue was genuinely within its hands.
He argued that the National Conference had received a mandate from the people and said he would not resign merely to appease the Leader of Opposition.
Omar also accused the BJP of showing disrespect towards the Supreme Court and Parliament by failing to act on commitments concerning statehood.
“I won’t resign to appease the LoP. People have elected us,” he said.
Reacting to BJP allegations concerning alleged backdoor appointments and irregularities in government recruitment, Omar as per the news agency Kashmir News Trust challenged the opposition to provide details of any investigation or FIR supporting its claims.
He said the elected government did not have authority over agencies such as the Anti-Corruption Bureau and Crime Branch in matters being raised by the BJP.
“If backdoor appointments have taken place, which agency has investigated them? If fraud has occurred, who has investigated it? ACB and Crime Branch are not in my control. Where is the FIR?” Omar asked.
He said allegations should be supported by evidence and investigation rather than being repeatedly raised as political accusations.
Referring to the BJP’s allegations, Omar used the expression “the pot calling the kettle black”, accusing the opposition of turning allegations back on the government without establishing the basis for its claims.
The Chief Minister’s remarks came amid an increasingly sharp political confrontation between the NC and BJP, with the two parties holding rival demonstrations in Srinagar over statehood, constitutional guarantees, employment, electricity tariffs, alleged recruitment irregularities and governance. [KNT]
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