 "Centre must treat people of J&K and Ladakh equally: Omar Abdullah")
National Conference leader Omar Abdullah on Thursday accused the BJP-led Centre of treating the people of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir "differently" over protection of their land and reservation in jobs and scholarships, and demanded equal treatment.
The former chief minister also said that NC leaders and its workers were killed in bomb blasts and attacks because they were not ready to deceive and raise their voice against their country and support gun culture.
"We don't demand anything, except justice with us (people of Jammu and Kashmir). When we were told that the aim of abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019, is that there will be one order (system) across the country. Why are there two separate orders for one state," he told a public rally in Ramban district.
Abdullah questioned the denial of rights of children of J&K at par with that of Ladakh and said that there are two separate set of state subject laws for both the union territories.
"Have our children no such rights as given to children in Ladakh. If there is reservation of jobs for children of Ladakh as per the state subject laws -- If the lands of Kargil people are protected through state subject laws --If their scholarships and voting rights have been protected as per the erstwhile state subject laws of Article 370, why have we no such laws here?" he said.
Abdullah said the only reality is that two union territories were formed on August 5, 2019, out of Jammu and Kashmir.
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"Contracts of works goes to outside people -- mineral extractions goes to outsiders-- land purchase rights given to outsiders and outsiders have been given rights to apply for jobs here (J-K). We don't demand anything. We demand justice with us", he said.
Rebutting claims of the BJP of widespread development and progress in Jammu and Kashmir post August 2019, he said the promised dawn of development, jobs for youth and much touted investment remains to be a distant dream.
Far from putting the region on a path of development, the ruling dispensation has liquidated the hard-earned dividends of previous NC-led governments in bridging the gulf between the people and the government. We are fighting to bridge that gulf by fighting for the restoration of their abridged constitutional rights," he said.
The former chief minister alleged that the ruling dispensation at the Centre is looking at Muslims of the country and Jammu and Kashmir with profound mistrust. Taking a dig, he said people of Jammu and Kashmir, particularly the NC cadre, have been consistent in their faith in the Constitution.
"We have our bond with the country and the party has given supreme sacrifices to defend it. We in NC have shouldered the bodies of our colleagues, and workers who gave their lives in protecting this bond," he said. Abdullah said instead of this, we are mocked and ridiculed as anti-nationals. He said the NC gave huge sacrifices for the bond of J&K with India.
"The relations made possible due to the promises to Jammu and Kashmir and later given constitutional cover. Under Article 370, it needed to be protected. What wrong are we talking about? What are we deceiving? We did not take that benefit, but the people of Jammu and Kashmir benefited from it, whether it is land to tillers, rehbari-e-taleem, Roshni (schemes)," Abdullah said.
He said that NC will not stop in its fight against divisive politics and for right to employment and peace.
"We will not stop fighting your battle. We will never get tired. Whether it is a matter of employment of your children or brotherhood or peace or for progress in this area. With this hope we will meet very soon again", he said.
He said that it is not an easy battle (for restoration of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. "To get right is always not an easy thing. We want people to support us in this fight. Some people do not suit this. We have not much hope from them, he said.
For we have hopes from some big parties that they will support us. Article 370 is not the treasure of Jammu and Kashmir. 370 is not the property of NC. If it is a property -it is property of first prime minister of India Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru", he said seeking support from the Congress.
He said that NC hopes that right thinking people and parties of Jammu and Kashmir will support the NC.
(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)