As people didn’t form BJP govt, J&K hasn’t got statehood: Omar

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said people cannot be “punished” for the fact that BJP could not win last year’s election and form the government in Jammu and Kashmir. Talking to reporters in Srinagar, Omar said people were hoping statehood would be granted to Jammu and Kashmir.

“We were hoping that, like the people of J&K were promised, and even the Supreme Court was told that there will be a three-step process. First, delimitation, then election, then statehood. Delimitation took place, elections were held, people took part in the elections. Now let’s say that the BJP was unfortunate and could not win. But the people of J&K cannot be punished for that,” he said.

Omar said, “It seems that because the people of J&K did not form the BJP government here, the people of J&K will not get statehood.”

“This is unfair to the people of J&K. Because nowhere was it said that if the results are in the favour of the BJP, then you will get statehood. Unfortunately, it is being seen that if statehood and these things are being opposed from somewhere, then it is being opposed by the BJP,” he said.

The Chief Minister also criticised those speaking against “I Love Muhammad”. The Kanpur police this month had registered a case for putting up boards reading “I Love Mohammad”, expressing love for Prophet Muhammad.

“Why is anyone objecting to writing this? Who can object to writing these three words? I don’t understand how these three words became the reason for arrest. Now, there must be someone mentally ill who can make a case on these three words,” the CM said, urging “court to correct this quickly.”

“If you add this to a religion for a minute, what is wrong in that? Don’t other religions write about their religious leaders? Don’t our Sikh brothers and sisters write about their Gurus? Don’t our Hindu brothers and sisters write about their different gods?” he said.

To another question, the Chief Minister said efforts are on to restart tourism after the Pahalgam attack. “We were also hoping that after the puja season, tourists from West Bengal and Kolkata will start coming again. But the number we were hoping for has not yet come,” he said. “Our efforts will continue. Let’s see what happens.”