Governor not last word on J&K, we want Centre to assure us: Omar

Srinagar, August 3

Former Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) chief minister and National Conference (NC) vice-president Omar Abdullah on Saturday said he had met Governor Satya Pal Malik to find out what was happening in the state and why nothing was being done to scotch rumours, if those were baseless.

"We wanted to know about the current situation in J&K. When we ask officials they say something is happening, but nobody knows what actually is happening," Omar told a press conference after meeting Governor Malik here.

He said when Parliament starts functioning the Centre should make a statement on what was the need to end the Amarnath Yatra and pull out tourists from the Valley. "Let Parliament assure us that there is no need for the people to be afraid," he said.

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Omar said in his meeting with the Governor he told him about rumours surrounding Article 35A, Article 370, delimitation and even trifurcation of the state. "The Governor assured us that in all these issues, no preparation is being made to make any announcement," Omar said.

He also pointed out that the final word on J&K was not the Governor but the government of India. "More than what the Governor tells us publicly, I would like to hear from the government of India that there is nothing the people have to be worried about," Omar said.

He said his party had appealed to the people to maintain calm and thwart attempts to take to violence on these issues.

"The National Conference will never allow any fiddling with the special status both politically and legally. The need of the hour is to hold elections in the state and allow an elected government to deal with the problems of the people.

"The PM also talked on the same lines and said he wanted elections in Kashmir. We were very satisfied after the meeting with the PM, but another order terminating the Amarnath Yatra has shocked us," he said. IANS