BJP criticises Omar Abdullah for attacking party over Article 35A

JAMMU: The Jammu and Kashmir BJP today slammed the state's former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for attacking the party, saying his "boasting" of Article 35A of the Constitution did not match his party's position on various issues, including AFSPA and greater autonomy, when in power.

BJP State Spokesperson Virender Gupta's remarks came in response to Omar's statement that National Conference won't have allowed any attack on Article 35A and the BJP-led government would not have dared to talk about this provision or the Article 370 had his party been in power in the state.

"We, at the first instance, want to say that it is not the BJP or government at the Centre that has filed writ petition in the Supreme Court," Gupta said here, adding that it was in response to Omar's "boasting" of Article 35A.

He said the concerned people who are being discriminated and whose fundamental rights are being snatched because of the un-constitutional provision of Article 35A had gone to the Supreme Court for justice and revoking of Article 35A, which does not have the sanction of the Indian Parliament.

Gupta said the dialogue with separatists and Pakistan did not take place during Omar's rule.

He also said that Omar's rule had witnessed revival of the cross-border firing along the Line of Control and International border in 2010 after remaining peaceful for eight years, following ceasefire agreement during former Prime Minister A B Vajpayee-led NDA government at the Centre.

"During the period, when the NC was in power in the state from 1996 to 2002 and 2008 to 2014, it failed to get revoked Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), in spite of having support of the then Union Home Minister P Chidambaram," Gupta said.

"No talks with separatists and with Pakistan could be held and power projects could not be brought to the state, during the period when Omar was the Chief Minister and Congress was ruling at the Centre," he said, describing Omar's statement an attempt to "blow his trumpet".

Gupta said the borders, which remained peaceful for about eight years after the BJP government-led by Vajpayee, got disturbed and cross border firing started, particularly after 2010.

He also said that during Omar's tenure as Minister of State in the Vajpayee's government and the time when his father Farooq Abdullah was heading the government, the Autonomy resolution passed by the state Legislature was put into the dustbin and no cognisance of the resolution was taken by the Government of India.

"Then Omar continued to remain in the government at the Centre without any protest because of the lust for power," he alleged.