We Haven’t Compromised on J&K’s Special Status: Omar Abdullah

Srinagar: Omar Abdullah on Friday asserted that the resolution seeking the restoration of special constitutional status to Jammu and Kashmir passed by the Union Territory Assembly earlier this week is not a compromise on the issue as has been alleged by the PDP and some other opposition parties and lawmakers.

"The resolution we brought in this house is not a compromise but a legitimate effort to get restored what was taken from us unilaterally," he said while replying to the discussion on the motion on Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha's address in the Assembly during its brief maiden session here.

Opposition BJP which opposed the resolution terming it anti-national and a part of the agenda of Pakistan and separatists continued their protest in the house on the third consecutive day Friday.

Amid uproar and their storming the well of the house, eleven BJP MLAs and independent Khursheed Ahmed Sheikh were forcibly evicted from the house by the marshals on Speaker Abdur Rahim Rather's orders. The Speaker had earlier announced that any member who comes into the well of the house may be thrown out as he did not want any further disruptions in the assembly. The other BJP members staged a protest walkout from the house after some time.

While Mr Sheikh was allowed to return to the house in response to the appeal of another opposition member, the BJP members held a mock session of the assembly on its lawns with senior party leader and MLA Sham Lal Sharma acting as the speaker. Several other party MLAs spoke against the special status resolution and raised some other issues during the mock session.

The resolution was moved in the J&K assembly by deputy chief minister Surinder Choudhary on Wednesday -the third day of its 5-day-long session- and it was passed by a voice vote amid protests by the BJP. The House witnessed chaos and bedlam, paralyzing the proceedings for almost two-and-a-half days after the passing of the resolution.

In his speech, the Chief Minister criticised the Central government’s "dismissive attitude" towards J&K's demands. He asserted, "We may not expect immediate change, but I remain hopeful that someday J&K will reclaim its lost autonomy".

While speaking on the political and constitutional losses J&K suffered in the past six years, he said that despite these challenges, his government remains focused on securing a better future for the people of the region. "We have lost a lot in the last six years. When I was last in this house, we were a state, we had our own constitution, and our flag. But all of that was taken away from us. It will remain in my mind, but at the same time, sitting in the chief minister's chair, I will not let a single day go to waste. I will work tirelessly for the people of J&K", he said.

He reiterated that his government is for the people of the entire J&K, regardless of their party affiliation, region or whether they voted in the recently held assembly elections or not. He also said, "Our agenda will not be set by WhatsApp or Facebook but by the people of J&K."

Pointing out that the law and order and security matters are out of the domain of his government, he said it is, however, commited to peace in J&K "Peace is essential for everything, and we seek peace through cooperation, not suppression," he asserted and assured the police and other security forces of the government's support in restoring lasting peace across the UT.