Do you want us to leave politics: Omar to Centre
October 29, 2020 20:12
Former J&K Chief Minister and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah lashed out at the central government, asking if it wants political parties in the state to leave mainstream politics in Kashmir.
"What do you want from us? Do you want us to leave mainstream politics here?" Omar Abdullah asked while reacting to the government's action of stopping Peoples Democratic Party workers from carrying out a protest against the recent changes in land laws in the state.
Omar Abdullah said PDP workers were allowed to carry out a peaceful protest in Jammu but were bundled into vehicles and detained when they tried to do the same in Srinagar.
Speaking about the recent changes in the laws governing land ownership in J&K, Omar Abdullah said their fight was now for the identity and land of J&K.
"These special laws and status was given to J&K at the time of Maharaja Hari Singh," Omar Abdullah said, and pointed out that leaders in Nagaland have refused similar laws.
He said now every mainstream party in J&K was on the same page. "We have been forced to get together and fight for the rights. We are not counting seats anymore. This fight is not about power or chief ministership. It would be shameful if we go after power. People will never forgive us if we do something like that. I wish this coming together of parties happened earlier. There are so many states where people from other parts of the country cannot buy land. If we are talking against this law, we are being called 'anti-nationals'," Omar Abdullah said.
On Tuesday, the central government cleared the decks for people from across the country to buy land in Jammu and Kashmir by amending several laws, a move which mainstream political parties in the Union Territory said was akin to putting the erstwhile state up "for sale".
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