TAUSEEF AHMAD
SRINAGAR, Dec 17: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday came down heavily on his Bihar counterpart Nitish Kumar over an alleged incident in which a woman’s burqa was reportedly touched or pulled in public, terming the act humiliating, unacceptable and a clear violation of democratic and moral norms.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an event at the Sher-e-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) here, Omar Abdullah said no individual—irrespective of position or authority—has the right to behave in such a manner. He described the incident as an act of “public humiliation” that cannot be justified under any circumstances.
“A man is not allowed to do this anywhere. If the chief minister did not wish to issue an order or interact, he could have simply asked the person to step aside. But humiliating someone in front of everyone like this is a very wrong thing,” Omar said, stressing that public representatives must act with restraint and dignity.
Drawing parallels with a past incident in Jammu and Kashmir, Omar said such behaviour reflected a disturbing and recurring mindset. “We have seen this before. During an election in the Valley, a woman voter was forced to remove her burqa inside a polling station. What we are seeing now is a continuation of the same thinking,” he remarked, calling the Bihar incident “deeply regrettable”.
The chief minister emphasised that leaders, especially those holding constitutional positions, must be mindful of their conduct in public spaces. “Such actions strike at the dignity of women and weaken the very foundations of democratic values,” he added.
Commenting on Nitish Kumar’s political standing, Omar Abdullah said the Bihar chief minister was once viewed as a secular and sensible leader. However, he suggested that recent developments were casting doubts on that image. “Slowly, slowly, the reality is coming out,” he said.
Responding to a separate query on adventure tourism, Omar said his government was actively working to restore Jammu and Kashmir’s status as a premier destination for adventure sports. He said activities such as skiing, trekking, mountaineering, white-water rafting and paragliding were being promoted, with a strong emphasis on safety and regulation.
“We want adventure tourism to grow, but not at the cost of human lives,” he said, cautioning against unregulated activities and referring to recent fatal incidents reported from other parts of the country.
On the financial health of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah acknowledged that the Union Territory continues to rely heavily on central assistance and is not yet financially self-sufficient. However, he said his government had taken sustained steps over the past 15 to 16 months to enforce financial discipline and improve fiscal management.
“We are making every effort to streamline expenditure and ensure better utilisation of resources,” he added.
