J&K CM Omar Abdullah admits to three mistakes; rules out alliance with BJP

SRINAGAR: Jammu & Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Monday admitted he committed three mistakes during his tenure, but insisted they were not blunders.

"There is not a single decision that I have taken as chief minister that I would call blunder," he said at his last presser in office.

"Incidents like 2010 (killings of civilians) summer agitation, Afzal Guru's hanging and September 2014 floods are three regrettable mistakes." He regretted he could not get the Armed Forces Special Powers Act revoked.

He said if his archrival People's Democratic Party patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed was not able to exploit it and get maximum from it, then there is something wrong there.

"If I would have been in his place, I would have got 50+ seats in the recently-concluded assembly polls."

Omar said he would accept the peoples' mandate. "I thank people of J&K for voting in such large numbers. Whatever their decision, it is important that democracy has been upheld."

The CM ruled out alliance with the BJP and said the Hindutva party's Kashmir stand was unacceptable. "The BJP was silent on Article 370 during elections .But that does not mean it has completely dissociated itself from the issue."
Omar said it was inconceivable for his party to join hands with the BJP. "There are issues like Article 370, Babri Masjid, Uniform Civil Code and forced conversions. Having such an agenda, how can the NC join BJP to form government in J&K," Omar said.

He questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence over the issue of conversions.

He cited National Security Advisor Ajit Doval's statement describing elections in Jammu & Kashmir "strategic victory over Pakistan'' and added the polls were a plebiscite. "Separatists want you to interpret it like that."

"Elections were not between India and Pakistan, but the people voted for basic necessities." He called the Centre's assessment that the state government failed to control floods in September ironic. "If we failed and Union government was prepared, then where were they?" he asked.

"Where was NDRF, their boats? Why did Badami Bagh Cantonment get submerged?"