Says neither were jobs provided nor did any development work took place in Kashmir
SUHAIL KHAN
BARAMULLA: National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah Saturday said that situation in Kashmir is different from what is being said by the leaders in New Delhi.
Addressing a rally in North Kashmir’s Baramulla district as per Kashmir Despatch Correspondent, former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah said, “We have been listening to the speeches of senior leaders from New Delhi, who claims that everyone is happy in Kashmir, post abrogation of Article 370. But on the ground, I have not received the same response from people “.
“We would be happy if any kind of development has been taken post abrogation of Article 370 and when I ask locals whether there is any employment, if below poverty line people are receiving rations, if there is an electricity round the clock, believe me I don’t get any positive response”, Omar said.
Omar added that we were told that Article 370 is a hindrance in the development of Jammu and Kashmir. But I want to ask, where are those factories, where are those businessmen, where are hotels that were promised to us.
He added, “We were told factories would come up here, hotels will be built, big businessmen’s would come, but, where are they”. Adding that he said, the situation is same in Jammu as that is in Kashmir, there is not much difference.
Omar further said that if article 370 was the reason for guns in the valley, then why two brave policemen were killed in Bandipora.
“Yesterday two brave policemen were killed in Bandipora, they lost their lives. If Article 370 was the reason for the gun in the valley, the families of those two policemen shouldn’t be mourning today,” Omar said.
Omar further said that we witness encounters on a daily basis now and in almost every corner of the valley. “We see encounters in those areas now where we had freed them from guns in the past. New areas are getting involved, new boys are picking up the gun,” Omar said.
He added, Were we not told that separatist thinking is also because of article 370. We were told that if article 370 will be abrogated, separatist thinking will be over. I cannot see this thinking fading away from people’s minds.”
Omar said, “Neither the people of the valley were provided with jobs, nor did any development work take place. Also, neither the electricity improved, nor the health sector as well the education sector got improved after the abrogation of article 370”.
“Further, neither the gun vanished nor the separatist thinking in the valley. So tell me what the reason behind abrogation of Article 370,” he said.
He further added that “What happened to all those promises that were made to us and to all those promises that were broken. Why this stepmother’s behaviour towards the valley”.
