You want to run J&K by remote control from Delhi: Omar Abdullah after EC’s refusal to call J&K Assembly polls

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah has been pitching for the simultaneous polls for Assembly and Parliament so that the state would have an elected government in place. The EC’s decision to hold only parliament polls has disappointed Omar who has claimed that Modi government wants to run J&K through remote control from Delhi.

Excerpts of an exclusive interview post EC announcement:

DNA: Your first reaction after EC decision?

Omar: In a way I am disappointed for the state. Because it obviously means New Delhi does not want people of J&K to have their own elected government. They want to govern through handpicked nominee who has been taking political decisions. I am also surprised that PM Modi and governor Malik would be willing to admit their failure on such a big stage. But that is the way it is. 

DNA:  Providing security to candidates is being touted as reason for not holding simultaneous polls when there was higher number of candidates in Panchayat election?

Omar: That is the question that needs to be asked. We did not tom-tom about those elections (Panchayat and Municipality). PM Modi and others have been talking to the world how successfully these elections were. That is the surprising thing. I am not the one who declared Baramulla district militancy free.

The administration did. I am not the one who is saying the problem is confined to three and half districts of south Kashmir. The state government has. They have been saying it time and again. BJP itself says Kashmir is not the problem and problem is three and half districts of south Kashmir. If you require additional forces for three and half districts of south Kashmir, who is saying to hold it in five phases?  Do it in nine phases. You hold polls in three to four assembly constituencies per day and relocate forces. But this way you have completely surrendered,

DNA:  Do you see any political motive?

Omar: Obviously they have their handpicked governor. I am sorry, (but) at the end of the day,  first and foremost, blame should go to Mehbooba Mufti. When her government was pulled down and she was to resign she should have recommended dissolution of assembly at that time itself. When Sher-e-Kashmir Sheikh Mohomad Abdullah was chief minister in 1977 and Congress withdrew support, he had nothing. At that time he recommended to LK Jha to dissolve the assembly. Mufti Mohommad Sayeed sahib went to Jha and asked to be made chief minister but he said no because in J&K `I am bound by the recommendations’ of the chief minister. Had Mehbooba recommended dissolution, the then governor NN Vohra would have dissolved the House and our elections would have been held with Telengana and other states.

DNA: Since the schedule for Parliament polls have been announced, what next for your party?

Omar: We will continue to fight the election. We will fight it as seriously as we fought all other elections. I think this is the challenge for the EC. Everybody know turnout in assembly polls is higher than parliament elections. Had you done it simultaneously, the polls would have been at least successful. Now let us see how you are be able to convince the voters to go to the polling booths.

DNA: Do you foresee any chances of announcing assembly elections soon?

Omar: If they have made up their mind to deprive people of J&K the elected government and rule directly from centre then let them be honest and say it. Let them say we have failed, and situation is like nineties and we cannot hold polls. Please explain me the logic. You hold Panchayat, Municipality and now Parliament polls but not the assembly polls. Because you do not want elected government and you want to run the state through remote control from Delhi