"Our schools hold the key to the self-reliance, dignity and empowerment of our future generation. An assault on our schools is an assault on our children, their future and their dreams.
"These are clear, unambiguous attempts to rob our children of education and intellectual growth and there can be no doubt that these elements who attack our schools are the enemies of our children and the enemies of enlightenment," Omar said in a statement issued here.
Omar also hit out at the separatist Hurriyat Conference saying its leadership should realise the "cost of its reluctance and delay" to condemn such behavior unequivocally.
He blamed both the administration and the Hurriyat leadership for "failing to speak up and act in time" to prevent such incidents.
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"You cannot aspire for the moral lecterns of self-righteous leadership without having the courage of your conviction to call a spade a spade. Persecuting your own people cannot be portrayed or disguised as alleged resistance based on a political cause.
Omar expressed hope that the state government will "get its act together" and rise to the occasion to protect the schools.
"Every new, tragic and saddening news of a gutted school is a verdict on the incompetence and inaction of the state government. We also hope that Hurriyat leaders gather the courage to say the right thing at the right time and do not allow the street to dictate their agenda and their sense of right and wrong.