Amit Shah 'falsifying facts' about centre's flood relief package, says Omar Abdullah

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday lashed out at BJP president Amit Shah for "falsifying facts" about the amount released by the Centre for the flood-affected people of the state, saying Rs 1700 crores was "not even enough" to raise the basic infrastructure.

"Shah, who is falsifying facts about the amount released for the flood victims, should see the magnitude of these floods and Rs 1700 crore isn't even enough to raise the basic infrastructure in the state," Omar said here while addressing election rallies.

He said if the BJP was concerned about the people of Kashmir, what was stopping their government at the Centre from approving a special package submitted by the state for the flood-affected people.

"If Shah is actually concerned about Kashmiris and their sufferings, what is stopping his government from approving the Rs 44,000 crore for relief and rehabilitation of the flood victims?," Omar said.

The National Conference (NC) working president said rather than being serious about the miseries of the flood victims, the central government with the help of Opposition PDP and Congress, NC's coalition partner, "imposed" elections on the people.

"NC otherwise wanted to contest the elections in March-April, so as to work effectively for the rehabilitation of the flood victims. We could never imagine foisting elections on a devastated people who were sleeping under the open sky and whose homes were shattered. PDP and BJP are two sides of the same coin when it comes to their lack of empathy and ruthlessness towards the flood victims," he said.

Omar said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led BJP had "deliberately" stalled the relief and rehabilitation package submitted by his government to make the flood-hit people "struggle and shiver" in the winter chill.

"The whole world knows that most important government institutions like civil secretariat or High Court and other important institutions were under water and we had submitted a proposal to the Centre for releasing Rs 44,00 crore so that the hospitals which still san the CT-scan or X-ray machines and other important facilities could have been developed.

"Infrastructure in schools and college's could have been again installed and the officials of the revenue department would have been engaged to work effectively for flood victims rather than being part of the elections. But rather than helping the flood victims, the BJP was imposed the elections on people," Omar said.