Srinagar, Aug 15 (PTI) In a hard hitting Independence Day speech, Chief minister Omar Abdullah on Friday strongly criticised the practice of linking Jammu and Kashmir’s political future to acts of terror, asserting that Pakistan cannot be allowed to influence decisions on the region’s statehood through terrorism.
Abdullah’s remarks, in his first speech after becoming the chief minister since Jammu and Kashmir was downgraded from a state to a union territory, came a day after a Supreme Court bench led by Chief Justice of India B R Gavai observed that the “ground situation” in the region must be weighed before restoring its statehood, stressing that “incidents like Pahalgam” cannot be ignored.
The Independence Day celebrations were held at Bakshi Stadium here.
Terming the reference to Pahalgam “unfortunate”, the CM said, “Will the killers of Pahalgam and their masters in the neighbouring country (Pakistan) decide whether we will be a state?” “Every time we are close to statehood, they will do something to sabotage it. Is this fair? Why are we being punished for a crime in which we had no role?” The chief minister said the people of Jammu and Kashmir themselves stood against the attack, with protests erupting “from Kathua to Kupwara”.
“Unfortunately, today we are being punished for the Pahalgam attack,” he added.
Pakistani terrorists killed 26 civilians, mostly tourists, in the Baisaran meadow in south Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22.
Abdullah further said he will launch a massive signature campaign to press the demand for restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir during the eight weeks’ time given by the Supreme Court to the Centre to respond to the plea before it.
“From today, we will use these eight weeks to go door to door in all 90 assembly segments for a signature campaign on the restoration of statehood. If people are not ready to sign the document, I will accept defeat,” he said.
Abdullah, however, said he is confident that he and his colleagues will achieve the goal of getting signatures in support of the demand for statehood.
“Now we will have to take these voices from our offices to the doors where these decisions are taken,” he said, adding the signature campaign documents will be submitted to the apex court. PTI MIJ SKL DIV DIV
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