Autonomy 'a way forward': Omar Abdullah

NEW DELHI: After the decks were cleared for a NC-Congress government in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, consensus chief ministerial candidate Omar Abdullah underlined the need for a "middle ground" and termed autonomy "a way forward in resolution" of the Kashmir problem.
    
"NC believes autonomy is a way forward in resolution of this problem and I do not think why anybody should have serious reservations against it. It's not unconstitutional to talk about it. It's all within the framework of the Constitution," Abdullah said.
    
"We are not talking about inclusion of Pakistani currency into Kashmir. Autonomy was not a gift from Maharaja. It was something to which Pandit Nehru agreed," he said while admitting "some middle ground could be worked out".
    
Abdullah, the National Conference president, also announced the party's decision to have a deputy chief minister from the Jammu region and promised representation to Kashmiri Pandits in the state cabinet.
    
"I will be happy to have a Dy CM, preferably from the Congress in the cabinet from Jammu. If Congress does not name its candidate, we will have a Dy CM from Jammu from the NC," Abdullah said.
    
The chief ministerial candidate also said that he would try to create an environment for the return of Kashmiri Pandits.
    
"I have a huge responsibility towards Kashmiri Pandits and I would seek to create an atmosphere in which the displaced Pandits can come back to the valley," he added.
    
"NC will be nominating Kashmiri Pandits in the Upper House. We (NC and Congress) will get them in the cabinet. This is a large community and requires representation," he said.

To a question on how much his friendship with Rahul Gandhi helped him in working out the alliance with Congress, Abdullah said, "It's not in my nature to use personal relationship for political gains."
    
He also dismissed the idea that Congress leader Saifuddin Soz was not in his favour saying, "Soz played a positive role."
    
"The going would not have been so smooth had Soz saheb not tried to bring the two parties together," Abdullah said.
    
To a question whether there will be arrangement of rotational chief ministership for the NC-Congress coalition, Abdullah said, "there was no such indication. It was not a pre-condition for the alliance or any stumbling block."
    
He, however, did not rule out the issue from being discussed in the future.
    
Abdullah also announced that the new government will seek to form a Commission headed by a retired Supreme Court judge which will find out the regions neglected in development, their causes and also suggest corrective measures.
    
"People in Jammu say their region was neglected at the cost of Kashmir while those in Kashmir say their region was neglected in comparison to Jammu. In fact both the regions have several undeveloped areas," he said.
    
"The Commission will examine all these aspects," he added while accepting "there is no smoke without a fire".
    
Abdullah said that the new government would strengthen the Accountability Commission and vigilance departments to check corruption.
    
"I am not going to be corrupt. And we have a strong coalition here. So it won't be difficult for us to shunt ministers out if they are found to be corrupt. I can start looking at e-governance and strengthening the RTI in the state," he said.
    
Abdullah also emphasised the need for restarting the dialogue process with separatist leaders in the valley.
    
"They (separatists) are down but not out ... New Delhi should reach out and kickstart some dialogue with them. It is something that I will be definitely talking to New Delhi about.
    
But it takes two hands to clap ... New Delhi can continue reaching out but unless they reach as well, it cannot happen. They (separatists) should also take lessons from the elections," the NC leader said.
    
To a query whether his government would take any steps to review cases of "innocents" lodged in jail, he said, "We have an opportunity to work with Government of India to address these concerns. We can take a fresh look at them."
    
Asked when he plans to take oath, Abdullah said that the decision regarding it will be taken by the Coordination Committee of Congress and NC.
    
"We have a deadline before January 10 when Governor's rule comes to an end and there is also Muharram at hand ... I really want to get down to work," he added.
    
To a question that the proposal for autonomy put forward by the NC was in past was turned down by the Union Cabinet, Abdullah said, "It was a different cabinet".
    
NC had earlier put forward a proposal for autonomy during the Atal Bihari Vajpayee led-NDA government at the Centre of which it was then a part.