Day after Amit Shah's attack on J&K government, Omar Abdullah says blame lies on Centre

SRINAGAR: A day after BJP president Amit Shah criticised him for ignoring people affected by Pakistani firing, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said the blame lay on the Centre and not on state government.

"If no care has been taken, the Centre is to be blamed. Recently, five Central ministers visited the state - they visited Kashmir, Ladakh and perhaps even Jammu city. If they did not visit the border, then who is to blame? I cannot drag them there," Omar told reporters here.

Yesterday, Shah attacked Omar at a rally in Jammu region saying "I want to ask the Chief Minister have you yourself visited them (residents displaced by Pak firing) - if not, I want to ask you do not you feel you have a responsibility towards them."

Earlier, Minister of State for Home Sajad Kichloo said the government was continuously monitoring the situation and the administration had been directed to be at the beck and call of people affected by the shelling.

Kichloo said he visited the affected areas extensively, interacted with the people, ascertained their difficulties and oversaw arrangements and help being provided to them by the state government.

He said the Chief Minister was continuously monitoring the situation and receiving minute-to-minute appraisal about it.