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‘Political ploy’: Omar on Modi government’s move for reservation to upper caste poor
The union cabinet on Monday cleared a 10 percent quota in education and government jobs for economically weaker sections of upper castes, in addition to the existing 50 percent reservation for the scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and other backward classes, taking the total to 60 percent.
National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah on Tuesday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for announcing 10 percent reservation for economically weaker sections belonging to upper castes ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, terming the measure “politically motivated”.
“Politics is a strange thing and politicians are masters in using the people. They think people are naive and gullible. The PM suddenly announced reservation. Had he been sincere, he would not have waited for nearly five years,” he said at a party meeting in Jammu.
Attributing the decision to the BJP’s defeat in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Telangana assembly polls, the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister alleged it was only then the party thought of the measure but “actually don’t intend to give it”.
“If the bill doesn’t get passed, the BJP will say that they tried but Parliament didn’t pass it and they will offer the same excuse if it is defeated in the court,” he said
The union cabinet on Monday cleared a 10 percent quota in education and government jobs for economically weaker sections of upper castes. The proposed reservation will be over and above the existing 50 percent reservation enjoyed by the scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and other backward classes, taking the total reservation to 60 percent.
Fielding media queries later, Abdullah said that he never justified militancy by youth, who pick up guns in the state.
“It’s not justification of terrorism. You have to understand their anger. I don’t condone what they do. I am trying my best to work with them so that this sort of rebirth of militancy is put to a premature end. I don’t justify what they do. I have never justified the use of militancy to achieve political gains. I always believed that J&K is a political problem and hence needs political handling and a political solution, which can be arrived at via dialogue,” he said.
He added that when governments of the day refused to acknowledge the root cause of the problem, they were themselves creating circumstances responsible for the rebirth of militancy.
“I am not justifying the use of violence on any side,” he added.
He accused the Peoples-Democratic Party-Bharatiya Janata Party coalition government of creating an atmosphere conducive for the growth of militancy in the state.
“It is ironical that some say they killed 1500 and some say 1700 but they were created in your (PDP-BJP government) time, not in our time. But killing them won’t solve the problem. The army has also said that the government has to build over gains made by security forces. Killing militants alone won’t solve the J&K dispute. The real political issue has to be addressed in right earnest,” he said.
Citing the terror attacks in Nagrota, Sunjuwan, BC Road Bus Stand, Kishtwar and Akhnoor during the PDP-BJP regime, he said, “Militancy has started rearing its head in Jammu region. No development and no employment in sight. What have they done in the past four years. Leave aside Kashmir. They vitiated peace in Jammu as well.”
There is not even a single day in Kashmir when youth don’t pick up guns, he said.
Abdullah also criticized former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti for asking youth to join PDP.
“It is the same PDP, which had said that the security forces are not meant for showing their presence alone and they can use force. And, when she was CM, she had said that were youth going to army camps for toffees and sweets,” he said.
He said that time has come when people give full majority to the NC, which in turn give the people of all three regions a stable government committed for their equitable development
“Hal mein hi hal hai (Plough has all the solution),” Abdullah said, in a reference to his party’s election symbol
