BJP’s ‘mishandling’ led to revival of terrorism in ‘peaceful’ Jammu: Omar Abdullah

Jammu, Sept 10 (PTI) The BJP’s “mishandling” of the situation led to the revival of terrorism in otherwise peaceful Jammu, NC vice president Omar Abdullah alleged on Tuesday.

The National Conference (NC) along with its coalition partner Congress will ensure to make the region free once again from terrorism after forming the next government in Jammu and Kashmir, said Abdullah.

The former chief minister also criticised the “double engine” BJP government in the Union Territory and alleged that except for increasing the problems of the people, causing destruction and devastation, and spreading disappointment, it did nothing as “nobody in Jammu and Kashmir is ready to praise the government for even a single thing”.

“Excluding intimidation and threatening, they have done nothing. They are spreading rumours that if the NC and Congress coalition comes to power, the terrorism will return.

“I want to remind them, whether he is home minister (Amit Shah) or defence minister (Rajnath Singh), that Jammu region was made completely free of militancy during my tenure.

“Over the last five years, terrorism has revived in Chenab valley, Pir Panjal, Udhampur, Reasi, Jammu, Kathua and Samba districts. Tell me one district where our brave soldiers are not being targeted in Jammu region which was freed of terrorism long back,” Abdullah said, addressing an election rally in support of party colleague and coalition candidate Puja Thakur in Paddar-Nagseni constituency in Kishtwar district.

Reacting to Home Minister Amit Shah’s recent statement that terrorism will return if the NC-Congress alliance comes to power in Jammu and Kashmir, he said, “We have to bear the brunt of their misdeeds and lapses which led to the revival of militancy in the peaceful areas.”

However, the former chief minister said he wants to assure the people of Jammu that the NC-Congress alliance will free the region of terrorism once it comes back to power.

Seeking votes for Thakur who is the chairperson of district development council, the NC leader said the people of Jammu and Kashmir waited for 10 long years for assembly elections and the time has come to show the door to the BJP which is directly or indirectly in power in the Union Territory.

“They first joined hands with PDP even as both the parties sought votes from the people against each other. They continued their rule through Raj Bhawan after the collapse of the previous government.

“They are talking about double-engine governments in the poll-bound states but here we have seen how the double engine government functions. They have only increased the problems of the people, caused destruction and devastation and spread disappointment among the people. Wherever we go, the people have only complaints against them and no one is ready to praise the BJP government for even one thing,” he said.

He also said his party does not believe in seeking votes on the basis of religion because “all sections of society, irrespective of their religion, suffer when you are faced with growing unemployment, inflated electricity bills, price rise and lack of basic needs like health, education, water and electricity”.

Abdullah assured the people that the NC-Congress coalition government will fulfil all its promises to provide relief to the people.