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Where is ‘battle of ideas, Omar asks PDP

KT NEWS SERVICE. Dated: 6/23/2016 1:15:32 AM

SRINAGAR, Jun 22: Former chief minister Omar Abdullah today asked PDP where is its battle of ideas.
He also criticized chief minister Mehbooba Mufti for accusing National Conference of rigging election in 1987 and triggering militancy in the state.The former chief minister said that if NC president, Farooq Abdullah, is being blamed for forcing Syed Sallahudin to pick up gun, then why should the Indian National Congress which was headed by late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed not share the blame.
“Everyone knows National Conference and INC were together fighting elections in 1987. If you are accusing Farooq Abdullah for rigging and giving rise to Syed Sallahudin, then why should not those who were presiding the Congress be blamed equally for it,” Omar said in Lower House today while speaking during the discussion on allotments of grants for the departments held by chief minister Mehbooba Mufti.“We know who was president of INC in Jammu and Kashmir in 1987,” Omar added.
While explaining her party’s alliance with BJP, Mehbooba Mufti had in the ongoing Budget session said that Mufti Mohammad Sayeed did not want repeat of 1987.Mehbooba had accused NC of rigging the elections in 1987 and said the rigging triggered militancy in the state and gave birth to Hizb chief Syed Sallahudin.
Omar said that chief minister should inform the House about the PDP’s alliance with BJP.“You are saying that if the Hindus of Jammu region were not brought in alliance then they would have repeated 1947 and Muslims of Jammu region were in danger,” Omar said, pointing to Mehbooba Mufti.“Then you are saying that BJP would have killed Muslims if they were not brought into alliance in the government,” he said.
“Don’t think that if the people of Jammu were not brought into government, then they would have set fire to Jammu region. NC and Congress would not have allowed to that,” the NC leader said.Omar asked the PDP about the ‘battle of ideas’ slogans and jailing separatists for calling poll boycott in Anantnag. “Where is your battle of ideas?” Omar asked.
“Your government has jailed separatists for calling boycott of assembly by-elections. You have charged Yasin Malik in a case related to 1987,” he said.The opposition leader said that the Handwara killings report has not been tabled in the House despite they being informed by the Speaker that it will be tabled in two days.“We want to know the truth about the Handwara killings,” he said.He said that in 2015, more than 800 youth have been arrested in the Valley, of which 300 belong to Srinagar only.
Omar said that no FIR was registered against 22 people in Jammu who vandalized public property after sacrilegious act in temple. “The 22 people were released overnight. No one is in jail or no FIR has been registered against any person. But unfortunately a police officer was suspended,” he said, “Compared to it, our youth in Srinagar wave ISIS flags or pelt stones, they are booked. They don’t vandalise public property,” he said.