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BJP peddles lies on development, terror, reservation: Omar Abdullah

Sep 21, 2024 05:40 AM IST

Former J&K CM Omar Abdullah asked the voters not to fall in the “trap” of the saffron party, accusing it of peddling lies in the past 10 years.

National Conference vice president and former chief minister Omar Abdullah on Friday accused the BJP of “double speak” and asked the voters not to fall in the “trap” of the saffron party, accusing it of peddling lies in the past 10 years.

Former J&K CM Omar Abdullah (File)

Addressing an election rally at Mendhar in the border district of Poonch, Omar said, “Tomorrow home minister will make a speech here and seek votes from you. Ask him what you have got in lieu of Article 370? He will talk again, tell you about three dynastic families of how they ruined J&K and how they spread terrorism and stalled progress.”

“The home minister will also tell you that the NC is against reservation. Ironically, the BJP has nothing except lies. They talk about double engine government that will give impetus to the development, but in Jammu and Kashmir we have seen double engine government for the past 10 years,” he said.

Recalling PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayed and then his daughter Mehbooba Mufti forging an alliance with the BJP and the subsequent Central rule after June 2018 through governor SP Malik, lieutenant governors GC Murmu and Manoj Sinha, he said, “This double engine government brought miseries to the people.”

The former CM claimed that all the projects, which the BJP claimed were initiated and completed by them, were of previous governments, initiated in 2014 and 2015. “People have been demanding a tunnel on Mughal road for better connectivity but there is no progress. Unemployment is spiraling. Has this government opened new factory, has it held any recruitment rally for the youth of Mendhar?” he questioned.

“The BJP accuses us of spreading terrorism but when they are in other parts of the country, they accuse Pakistan of perpetrating terrorism in J&K. If three families (NC, PDP and Congress) are responsible, why you have closed the door of dialogue with Pakistan? Why have you closed border trade and travel with Pakistan? It is nothing but BJP’s double-speak,” he said.

He also allayed the apprehensions of the voters on NC’s stand over reservation to Paharis.

“Don’t fall into their trap. Tomorrow, home minister will sell lies again,” he said and subsequently listed party’s manifesto that promised one lakh jobs in the first month (after party’s victory), 200 free electricity units every month, 12 free LPG cylinders every year and distribution of kerosene oil, sugar and ration to the people. He also promised first right of the nomadic Gujjars and Bakerwals over forest.

He also pointed out that there is no Muslim minister in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s council of ministers. “There is a minister from the Sikh community which is 2% of the population,” he said. Referring to Uttar Pradesh, he alleged that the BJP locked mosques, madrassas and demolished shops of Muslims.

Union home minister Amit Shah and defence minister Rajnath Singh will be in Jammu for poll rallies on Saturday.

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