PDP plays politics on AFSPA revocation: CM

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday alleged that opposition Peoples Democratic Party played petty politics on a sensitive and pro-people issue like AFSPA revocation.

Addressing party workers in central Kashmir’s Budgam district he said, “PDP played petty politics on a sensitive and pro-people issue like AFSPA revocation.

PDP during their tenure at the helm of the state Government chose to remain completely mum on AFSPA and started issuing press statements only when they were sent to the opposition benches.”

“As soon as I became the Chief Minister, I asked not only for a solution for the political problem in the state but also unambiguously sought the revocation of AFSPA in the presence of the then Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh.

I spoke on the floor of the Assembly demanding the revocation of AFSPA and National Conference has never modified or altered its stand on such sensitive issues,” Omar said.

The Chief Minister said that PDP patron Mufti Sayeed’s much touted “healing touch” started and ended on a tragic note with the “targeted killings of militant commanders under his political leadership.”

“Was this Mufti’s healing touch that he chose to go for the targeted killings of the same militant commanders who had declared a ceasefire and were brought on the dialogue table by (then Chief Minister) Farooq Abdullah?,” he said.

“I also wonder where PDP’s ‘dual currency’ slogan has vanished. There wasn’t a day when they pitched these slogans in the past and now – suddenly all these slogans have disappeared in thin air – as if they never existed.

Has National Conference ever abandoned its principled stand on issues like restoration of Internal Autonomy and revocation of AFSPA?” the Chief Minister asked.

Omar said the youth of J&K would rise to the occasion and choose “truth and performance” of National Conference over the “lies and contradictions” of PDP.

He also castigated Mufti for playing “hypocritical politics” over the recent devastating floods saying that he (Mufti) flew in to Srinagar on one flight and flew out on the next available flight without caring to spend time in the Valley.