Kashmir needs political solution, says Omar

Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir and the National Conference leader Omar Abdullah on Tuesday said Kashmir was a political issue and needed a political solution to herald peace in the state.

“For arriving at a solution, New Delhi must open channels of dialogue with all the stakeholders,” Abdullah said at rally in Doda district of Jammu.

Making a pointed reference to Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar’s claim that demonetisation had a positive impact on the Kashmir’s situation, he said the youth did not die for Rs 500 or Rs 1,000 notes.

“Instead of continuing to invest in delusions and deflections, there is a need to understand real issues so that a solution can be worked out,” the NC leader added.

Referring to the alarming situation in the Valley over the four months, the opposition party leader said: “The issues involved are beyond economics or law and law and order. Therefore New Delhi must take political initiatives to resolve these.”

He expressed sorrow over the deaths of young men and women in the unrest and said the contradictions and opportunism of the PDP-BJP alliance was at the root of turmoil in the Valley.

He said the National Conference made a sincere and honest bid to put an end to peoples’ miseries and to defuse the situation by meeting the President, Prime Minister and Opposition leaders in New Delhi.

“We did not politicise the situation like the PDP did by creating obstacles in smooth functioning of the government from 1999 to 2002 and between 2008 and 2014”, he alleged while referring to the ‘stark contrast’ between Mehbooba of the Opposition and Mehbooba as leader of the PDP-BJP alliance.

“Where has that posturing gone”, he asked, saying that Mehbooba Mufti would not miss an opportunity while in the opposition to ‘exploit the pain and grief’ of the people. “Now, the Chief Minister is blaming one and all—the youth, the institutions, the socio-religious organisation—except for herself for the mess the state is in,” Abdullah said.

He said an unprecedented situation is prevailing across the state with development coming to a grinding halt, utility services lying almost defunct and people suffering on account of ration, drinking water and power.