When will PM 'wake up to crisis' in Kashmir: Omar

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah has questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “silence” on the situation in the Valley which he termed as “heart breaking” and “worrying”.

“Heart breaking & worrying in equal measure. At what point will the Centre (read Hon PM) wake up to the crisis here?” Omar wrote on Twitter.

He was reacting to the death of three persons in security forces action after violent protests on Friday.

The opposition National Conference working president had on Friday hit out at the Centre for claiming that the situation in the Valley was improving.

“One more unfortunate death, countless injuries today and the Centre tells the Hon SC (Supreme Court) that ‘things are improving’. Wow!” Omar wrote.

In another tweet, Omar said it was only the ruling coalition partners – Peoples Democratic Party and Bharatiya Janata Party -- who agreed with this stand.

“Seriously? By which stretch of imagination? I haven’t met anyone in the Valley except the BJP-PDP ostriches who agree!” he said.

The Centre told the Supreme Court that the law and order situation in KashmirValley has improved considerably since the outbreak of violence following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on July 8.

It said the violent protests having gone down from 201 on July 9 to 11 on August 3.

With Friday’s three deaths, the toll in the violence in the Valley has now reached 54.

Omar expressed complete “disappointment” at the lack of “political measures” taken by the Centre since Home Minister Rajnath Singh visited the Valley last month.

“To blame Pakistan for the unrest or to delude ourselves into thinking this is a law and order situation is criminal. There is an extreme sense of resentment and  disenchantment among the youths of the Valley and that is the basis of this unrest,” Omar said in a statement.

He said every appeal to New Delhi to engage with Pakistan and the people of Kashmir to resolve the issue has falling on deaf ears.

“There is no sense of concern and empathy from the central government,” the former chief minister said.

He said the sense of “bereavement, injustice and hopelessness” in Kashmir is “widespread and deep”.

“New Delhi’s continued arrogance in refusing to acknowledge this to presumably save its government in the state with PDP goes against not only all tenets of justice and humanity but also against the interests of the country and its people against the very fabric of the country’s constitution,” he said.

“Kashmir is a political issue and nothing short of a comprehensive, sustained political dialogue with all stakeholders in the Valley as well as Pakistan can serve as an acceptable alternative on the policy level,” Omar said.

Attacking Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, he said, “Mehbooba is solely and primarily interested in her ridiculous self-marketing exercises by going to the extent of playing out video footage of board meetings and administrative meetings on Doordarshan to apparently pretend she has a bone of empathy and humanity in her and that she is still around.

“Nothing could be more insensitive to the suffering and bereaved families at this juncture...” he said. 

“We had asked for an immediate ban on pellet guns and that security forces as well as the police should be held accountable for any excessive use of force,” he said.

The recent killing of Reyaz Ahmed from Chattabal in Srinagar has demolished every possible argument that defends the use of lethal force in the Valley, he said.

“Has New Delhi declared a war on the people in Kashmir? Hundreds of young boys and girls have potentially life-changing injuries, most of them caused by pellet guns.”

He said despite nearly 300 youths being shot in their eyes with pellet guns, the state and the central governments seem to be “encouraging” the use of pellet guns through their “inaction and silence” rather than banning their use.

“It is evident that their sole concern is political survival based on a quid-pro-quo arrangement where PDP has sold out to the BJP and BJP’s central government in New Delhi has in turn quite apparently extended its unconditional protection and patronage to an inefficient, insensitive and inept state government in Jammu and Kashmir,” he said. 

Expressing disappointment at the central government’s apathy towards the “grave” situation in Kashmir, Omar said the Centre had “misled the Supreme Court by saying the situation in the Valley was improving and under control”.

Expressing grief and anguish, Omar extended his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and prayed for recovery of thousands who are battling serious injuries in hospitals.