JOIN USIn the wake of the controversy over the hate speech by Union Minister Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi must apologise to the residents of Kashmir.
"Kashmir is a Muslim majority state and the Prime Minister who will hold a rally in Srinagar must apologise to the people of Kashmir as his cabinet colleague has used abusive language for people like us," Omar told reporters on the sidelines of an election rally here.
Asking BJP as how the party now expects votes from the people of Kashmir when such derogatory words have been used for the people, he said "Modi should explain why no action was taken against the minister... and apologise."
Reacting to a question on the Prime Minister's upcoming election rally in Kashmir in which BJP has claimed that it expects the participation of more than one lakh people, Omar said, "BJP has no dearth of money and they can offer food and arrange vehicles so it would not be a big deal to gather one lakh people from the entire Kashmir valley."
He said even separatist-turned-politician Sajad Lone can alone bring more than 20 to 30 thousand people to attend Modi's rally.
Omar said unity, solidarity, communal amity and equitable development of all regions and sub-regions of the state is benchmark of NC and it will put all its might and efforts to strengthen pluralistic ethos of Jammu and Kashmir.
He also ridiculed BJP for making false statements on development process.
He said it was his government which provided scores of big ticket and mega projects to Jammu which includes flyovers, bridges, gondola, artificial lake, sewerage and drainage disposal systems, power generation schemes, road upgradation and water supply augmentation works.
Claiming that it was his government which provided Rs 10 crore mega water supply project for Kishtwar town where BJP leadership in its rally without knowing about the fact promised people for the same.
The Chief Minister said thousands of development schemes completed and commissioned in the state during the last about six years in all the regions and sub-regions itself vindicates the high performance of his government.
Saying the NC represents unity, solidarity and brotherhood of Jammu and Kashmir, he asserted that the motto of his party is to render best service to the people and the state to make Jammu and Kashmir a modern, prosperous, peaceful and economically strong.
He said people are the fountain head of power and NC always relies on the support of people of Jammu and Kashmir.
Appealing people to vote wholeheartedly for NC candidates and ensure thumping victory of the party in the assembly elections, Omar praised Slathia, saying he has exhibited his highest public service character which is exemplary and of high degree of sincerity and commitment.