Kangan, July 26: Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah Monday said he represents people of Jammu and Kashmir in New Delhi, advocates their cause and speaks their heart at all forums.
“I am not a person who speaks one language in Delhi and another at Srinagar. I am firm on my political and economic commitments to the people”, Omar said and maintained that he is the person who raised the issue of AFSPA as the Chief Minister while in office and vehemently advocated its amendment and gradual removal with the improvement in the situation. “Only in my regime a Commandant of BSF was arrested and handed over to police for alleged human rights violation”.
The Chief Minister was addressing prominent citizens and representatives of social and political organizations of Kangan, here as a part of his programme to reach out the civil society across the state and personally get first hand information of their problems and development needs.
“I am the only Chief Minister who categorically made it clear at Qazigund in front of the Prime Minister and the UPA Chairperson on the occasion of inauguration of train service that the Kashmir is not an economic issue but a political one and needs addressing politically. I have reiterated the same time and again at various national forums including National Development Council (NDC) meeting recently”, he said and added that he will continue to stress on it.
The Chief Minister said that during his election campaign in 2008, he had also declared in almost every public meeting and election rally that he seeks support and vote of people for development and economic issues while his government will facilitate resolution of political issues politically. “I stand by my promise and my every step is in this direction”, he said.
Highlighting the need for sustained dialogue on the internal and external fronts, the Chief Minister said that whenever the external dialogue between India and Pakistan seemed to have moved forward in a positive direction and resolution appeared in sight, unfortunate events derailed the whole process. He cited the example of Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah-Ayub Khan talks in Pakistan when in the middle of talks, the then Prime Minister of India, Jawahar Lal Nehru passed away and talks got stalled. “Similar incident happened when Lal Bahadur Shashtri breathed his last while talking with Pakistan President at Tashkant”, he said and referred the Kargil war and 26/11 Mumbai attack which once again derailed the dialogue process. “Lets us all pray that the present parleys between the two neighbours move forward positively yielding befitting results”, he added.
On the Jammu and Kashmir centric Confidence Building Measures (CBMs), Omar Abdullah strongly advocated communication and banking facilities between the traders across LoC to strengthen and expand the trade links. He also stressed on enhancing the people to people contact at various levels. “The travel should not be restricted to the members of the separated families only but it should be open to all people living either sides of the LoC”, he said.
Omar said lock outs and hartals only lead to retrogress on all fronts. He said the stake holders of peace in Jammu and Kashmir including separatists should realize their responsibility and role towards society and political issues.
“Those who think that continuous hartals and disturbances will pave way for any solution of the problems are in a make belief world. Such tactics only mar the education of students and badly tell upon the economy of the poor without yielding any result”, he said adding that dialogue is the only way forward to find out solution to the problems and this platform is available to every shade of opinion to put forth his view point across the table in a amicable and peaceful manner.
He also sought the public support in curbing the corruption adding that corrupt practices by some unscrupulous elements eat up the vitals of development and deny the poor their right in the process of progress.
Later, the Chief Minister laid the foundation of a bridge at Yachhama estimated to cost Rs. 4.50 crore. The 70 meters long bridge on Sindh Nallah on completion would benefit about 12000 people of the six villages. He directed the executing agency, JKPCC, to complete the bridge within the prescribed time frame.
The Chief Minister was accompanied by the Minister for Forests, Mian Altaf Ahmad, Minister for R&B, GM Saroori and his Advisors, Mubarak Gul and Devinder Singh Rana.

Lastupdate on : Mon, 26 Jul 2010 21:30:00 Mecca time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 26 Jul 2010 18:30:00 GMT
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