JAMMU: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday said he will not use the Pahalgam terror attack as an opportunity to press for restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, asserting that he does not believe in “cheap politics”.
Abdullah also announced a dedicated helpline for local students studying outside the Union Territory so that they can register their concerns in the hour of need for timely government intervention.
“The security in Jammu and Kashmir is not the responsibility of the UT’s elected government. But I will not use this occasion to seek statehood. How can I push for statehood now? I do not believe in cheap politics.
“Should I have no value for the 26 lives lost and go to the Centre demanding statehood now?” Abdullah said, winding up the discussion on a resolution passed on the Pahalgam terror attack in the legislative assembly during a one-day special session here.
He was referring to some members in the House who demanded statehood restoration to defeat terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.
“We have talked about statehood (with the Central government) in the past and we will continue to talk about it in future, but not right now.
“This time there will be no politics on anything including statehood and business rules except condemnation of the terror act and expressing solidarity with the families who lost their kin. Curse be on me if I go to the Centre and push for statehood at this moment,” the chief minister said.
Abdullah, who stopped members of the treasury benches from thumping desks in praise of his certain remarks, announced that the government would set up a dedicated helpline for the students and other residents from J&K residing in different parts of the country.
“The students and other residents from J&K faced some problems outside the UT (in the aftermath of the terror attack). Nobody can deny that but I am thankful to the state governments which promptly played their role in normalizing the situation,” he said.
He also lauded his cabinet colleagues – Surinder Choudhary, Sakina Itoo, Javed Rana, Satish Sharma and Javed Ahmad Dar – for visiting different places on short notice and holding meetings with respective governments to ensure safety of the students, businessmen and others.
Abdullah said a dedicated helpline would be set up for students and businessmen so that they can register their concerns in the hour of need for timely government intervention even as “we do not want such a situation to happen again”.
The chief minister also warned social media handlers of spreading false news in the wake of the terror attack.
“While 90 per cent of people are upholding the truth, there are 10 per cent of those who are trying to spread falsehood on social media. I warn them to desist from this immediately as we will not tolerate the spread of falsehood,” Abdullah said.
Earlier, CPI(M) MLA M Y Tarigami and independents Muzaffar Iqbal Khan, Sheikh Khurshid and Shabir Ahmad Kullay batted for restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.
Tarigami highlighted the need for restoration of statehood to J&K in the larger interest of the people and the fight against terrorism.
Taking part in the discussion, Tarigami also questioned the blasting of houses in the valley and said the Supreme Court judgments make it clear that “you cannot punish an entire family for the misdeeds of any of its members”.
Aam Aadmi Party legislator Mehraj Malik called for a decisive action against Pakistan to put an end to terrorism once for all.
Calling for a war with Pakistan to teach it a lesson so that no such incident recur again, Malik said Prime Minister Narendra Modi after cutting short his Saudi Arab visit preferred to visit Bihar for campaigning rather than coming to Pahalgam to stand in solidarity with the bereaved families. (PTI)
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