Former chief minister and working president of the opposition National Conference on Tuesday claimed that his party declined ‘nikkah’ with BJP for ‘disastrous consequences’ even as he accused the ruling PDP-led government of having failed on all promises made to people of the state. “Today we are performing the role of an opposition and are not to be part of the government because was decided so. Had we wished, by one way or the other, we would have been the part of the government,” Omar said while addressing a public gathering at Ganderbal in central Kashmir.“It is no secret that today also, some senior BJP leaders whisper in my ears that there should have been friendship between NC and BJP and not BJP and PDP. But today also, I repeat the same word which I said six month back that we may become friends but there can be no ‘nikkah’ (marriage). We have started to release consequences of the nikkah (referring to PDP),” he said.
For six years, Omar said, the president of PDP Mehbooba Mufti targeted NC-Congress government, saying there is no substitute to the leadership qualities of incumbent chief minister and PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.“She would claim that state has never seen a Chief Minister like Mufti Mohammad Sayeed who brought about healing touch, brought India and Pakistan close, opened Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road and what not. We said, ok we have failed and let you bring this intelligent man and let see how he will bring India and Pakistan close, bring treasures from New Delhi which I could not do. Let him silent the guns which I couldn’t and make better the future of youth,” Omar, according to Global News Service said, adding, “We never tried to form the government except lending unconditional support to Mufti Sayeed despite knowing that PDP is the biggest political rival of NC and we did it only knowing the fact that how dangerous was the entry of the BJP in state.” The rally was organized in connection with party’s membership drive in Ganderbal, considered as a strong bastion for National Conference.
“Five months have passed and tell me one instance where they fulfilled a single promise. Has package for flood victims come? Have youth been provided employment…”He said that coalition government has turned out to be a monumental failure and a cruel joke with the people of the state.“This Government of U-turns has turned out to be a cruel joke with the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Every single promise that PDP made before elections has been sold to the BJP to ensure that Mufti Sahab remains in the Chief Minister’s chair. Not only has the PDP-BJP Alliance failed to rehabilitate the flood victims but it has also chosen to add insult to injury by arbitrarily raising State taxes that would directly affect the common-man and result in inflation.”
He alleged that the government was deriving ‘sadistic pleasure’ from persecuting and harassing the common man as a “pay-back for widespread discontent with and opposition to PDP’s sell-out to the BJP.”He said that the PDP led government has failed to uphold its promises of revoking AFSPA and had surrendered that demand along with other ‘pretensions’ for the sake of remaining in power.“Be it the matter of AFSPA revocation, the slogan of talks with the Hurriyat, the assurance of resuming the peace process or the election promise of opening additional trade routes along the LOC – Mufti Sahab has sold all his promises in lieu of the Chief Minister’s chair.”Referring to Article 370, he said that the BJP continues to pledge to abrogate the Article and “all NGOs affiliated to the RSS and VHP have been united in exploring possibilities to challenge J&K’s special status.” “Mufti Sahab and Mehbooba Mufti continue to remain mute spectators - which is dangerous for the interests of J&K”, he added. (GNS)