National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah Wednesday criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not giving the people of Jammu and Kashmir “the right to choose government” in the state. He also attacked the BJP-led central government for “consciously disenfranchising” the people of J&K by not holding the assembly elections on time.
Omar was reacting to Modi’s appeal to people to vote inlarge numbers to increase participation in the upcoming parliamentary polls.
“Dear @narendramodi Sahib, it is good to see you appealingto famous people to increase voter turnout however at the same time yourgovernment has consciously disenfranchised people in J&K by not holdingAssembly elections on time,” Omar said in a series of tweet.
Earlier this week, the election commission of India (ECI)announced seven-phase parliamentary polls, but decided not to hold assemblyelections in J&K, which is presently under the president’s rule.
In another tweet, Omar, the former chief minister, wrotethat the right to choose an elected government, as opposed to being governed bya handpicked nominee of the central government, is the “hallmark of the sort ofdemocracy you (the PM) are tweeting about”.
“Please give us our democratic right to choose our owngovernment,” Omar wrote.
The deferment of the state polls has come in for sharpcriticism from state’s mainstream political parties.
On March 10, Omar had said this deferment shows that “PMModi has surrendered to Pakistan, to the militants and to the Hurriyat”.
“Well done Modi Sahab. 56 inch chest failed. #slowclap,” hehad tweeted.
Omar had also referred to the “assurances” given by unionhome minister Rajnath Singh on three occasions in the past for providing allresources for simultaneous polls.
“What happened to these assurances?” Omar had questioned.
National Conference president Farooq Abdullah has alsoquestioned deferring the state elections.
“All parties are in favour of holding simultaneous (LS andstate assembly) polls. Environment is conducive for Lok Sabha polls but notstate polls in J&K?” he said on March 11.
Another former chief minister and PDP president MehboobaMufti slammed the New Delhi for delaying the elections.
“It is very dangerous to keep the state in the hands ofunelected representatives of the Centre as it will further complicate theproblems in the state,” she had said.
Delaying the assembly polls would sow the “seeds ofsuspicion” among people about “designs” of the government of India, she hadsaid, seeking immediate review of the decision.