Umer Rashid
Srinagar, Apr 30 : National Conference president and former chief minister of J&K Omar Abdullah Tuesday cornered Modi-led NDA government over a host of issues that, according to him, have deteriorated the conditions of the State in the last five years.
Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a public gathering in Shopian, Omar held the government responsible for low voter turnout in the ongoing elections and remarked that there has been a sharp decline in the voters’ participation in this election when compared to that of 2014 elections.
Talking about the militancy, Omar asked to draw a comparison between the number of youth joining the militancy during his tenure while remarking that during the incumbent government it has started after“These five years of Modi-government have proved detrimental and costly to the state,” he said.
The former CM also criticized the central government over the postponement of assembly elections in the State. “We provided Modi government with a peaceful and suitable environment but they failed us,” he said, adding, “It is because of the five years of callous attitude by this government that they are unable to hold the assembly elections.”
It is for the first time since 1996 that the State isn’t seeing elections on time. The onus for all this falls on the Modi and the alliance he formed with PDP, Omar added.
Responding to a question regarding the claim made by Modi that forty members of Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government TMC are in touch with him and will desert the later, Omar Abdullah said he doesn’t see anything new in it.
“They have developed a habit of make-up and break-up. They did it in Goa and few states in North East although were restrained in Karnataka while adding that he (Modi) tried the same last year also to make Sajad Lone as CM of the state,” he said.
While responding to the ban on Jamaat-e-Islami, Omar said he anticipates the outcome of elections on 23rd of May.
“We will see to it once the election results are declared. Fresh talks will be started with the elected government, which will include the issue of ban on Jamaat-e-Islami and that of a new political dialogue also,” he said. (GNS)
