Omar accuses BJP of flaring up situation in Kisthwar

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Sunday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of trying to flare up the situation in Kishtwar to polarise the population with an eye on next year's elections to parliament and the assembly.

Vowing to ensure swift action against those involved in violence that erupted on Friday and appealing to the people not to fall prey to rumours, he said the government has taken a decision not to allow any political party or leaders -- be it from mainstream or separatists -- to visit the violence hit areas as it had the potential of deteriorating the situation.

"And that includes Arun Jaitley too," Omar said soon after the BJP leader was detained at Jammu airport while he was on his way to Kishtwar for an on the spot assessment of the situation.

Without naming any political party, the chief minister lashed out at politicians for trying to polarise the situation in Jammu region and said, "Their entire aim seems to be to recreate the conditions of 2008 (Amarnath land row agitation) so that they can exploit it in the subsequent parliament (polls) and then the assembly election."

He said that he has spoken to the leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj. "In a telephonic conversation with the leader of opposition, I asked her to tell their people in the region to maintain calm and not to flare up the issue," Omar said.

He alleged, "The aim is certainly to exploit the sentiment that has risen as a result of Kishtwar (incident), to try and polarise the people."

He said that so far they have not succeeded beyond a handful of incidents. "But that has not stopped them from trying. Otherwise, what would be the justification for these people to rush to Jammu? Do they rush to any other place? I can name you incidents of communal riots in other states in this year itself. Have they been to those areas? Have they appealed to people? Why is that they single out Jammu and Kashmir, particularly Jammu region, for their special attention. Did I not have Shia-Sunni clashes in the valley not so long ago? Where were they then?" he asked.

The chief minister, while assuring that justice will be done, urged people to ignore rumours about the situation in Kishtwar and other affected areas

"My earnest appeal to people is please do not allow these political parties, who are putting political interest above human interest, to exploit your sentiments, to exploit the situation," Omar told reporters at a hurried convened press conference in Jammu.