Not the one who changes game midway: CM Omar in J&K Assembly
Jammu, Mar 20 (PTI) Amid speculation that he is moving close to the BJP, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday said he is not the one who starts one game and ends up playing another, and asserted that he has just changed his tactics.
Abdullah said he is not afraid of talking on any issue and also challenged the BJP to prove that his party ever insulted the last Dogra king Maharaja Hari Singh.
Winding up the discussion on ‘demands for grants’ concerning his departments in the Legislative Assembly, the chief minister expressed confidence of emerging victorious at the end of his term, as he targeted opposition BJP for repeatedly raking up the August 2019 developments in the House.
“The intelligent captain and player is the one who adapts to the situation and changes his tactics and not the game. I have not changed the game as I still wear the white cricketing uniform.
“I was doing fast bowling because the Australian pitches support the pace but the BCCI pitches are meant for spin and now I am bowling spin deliveries. The purpose is that we emerge victorious,” Abdullah said amid thumping of desks by the treasury benches.
Starting his over one-hour-long speech in Kashmiri saying “Wandi Tchali Sheen Gali Bei Ye Bahar” (the winter will be over, now snow will melt away and spring will return), Abdullah said, “We are not those who start somewhere else and then end up playing another game. We have come to play cricket and with the blessings of almighty will be winners after our five years term.”
Referring to the speech of Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma who praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for bringing J&K at par with rest of the country by abrogating Article 370 in 2019, the chief minister said though he is looking for spring outside, some things are not going to change inside the House – the verbal duels, ruckus and allegations.
“We are the ones who are not afraid of talking on any issue. Our track record says that we never escape a question and we are not the ones who demand questionnaires before an interview. We are not the ones who meet their favourites only. We are the ones who are always ready to face tough questions and give straight forward replies,” he said.
After hearing the speech from the opposition benches, he said it is futile to bring a prepared speech because most of their talk revolves around two or three issues.
“The LoP talked about equality in J&K after the August 5 development. I want to ask whether he feels that this assembly is at par with other assemblies in the country. Keep your hand on your heart and tell us whether we are equal to our neighbouring states,” he said.
Abdullah said then there was a talk about insulting the Maharaja. “When you do not have anything else to speak, they level this allegation. (BJP’s R S) Pathania accused us of insulting Maharaja. The fact is that it was they (BJP) which changed the map of his state and also the state subject laws which he had enacted to safeguard Jammu from Punjab investors.”
“Pathania is a lawyer…tell us under which law you were practising in the court before 2019. The Ranbir Penal Code which was named after Maharaja Ranbir Singh. But today, you are no longer practising under RPC,” Abdullah said, as LoP Sharma quipped that now he (Pathania) is practising under ‘Bharat’.
“You people have changed the name so who insulted Maharaja. As per your speech, if the investors from Haryana and Punjab set up their units here it is good because this is one India. Give the same lesson to the people in neighbouring states, especially Himachal Pradesh.
“How much difficult it is to set up a unit in Himachal Pradesh is anybody’s guess… It is very easy to speak about equality but the reality is that equality is not there and we have been sold. A Sri Lankan cricketer was given land in Kathua but he withdrew. We have been saying from day one that it is not Kashmir which faces the threat but the Jammu region. The road to Kashmir goes through Jammu,” he said.
When the LoP said they are capable of dealing with it, the chief minister said “we have a concern because you’re not (capable)” and advised him to go through the history when Maharaja introduced the state subject laws to protect the people of Jammu from Punjab investors in 1927 and not Kashmiris.
Abdullah also took exception to the repeated interventions by Sharma.
“I do not have the habit of making a running commentary. I will do the same when you start speaking next time. You are advising others to remain silent during your speech but what are you doing yourself? I heard the speeches of 50 members from both sides,” the chief minister said.
He said it is very easy for him to keep aside all departments and make a political speech but “that will be injustice with this house and with my own responsibilities.”
