'If Not Delhi, Should We Go To White House For Statehood?': Omar Abdullah

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Sunday launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), questioning the party's objection to the National Conference's (NC) proposed protest at the Jantar Mantar in Delhi.

His remarks came during the National Conference's 'Chalo Delhi' rally in Jammu, where the party renewed its demand for restoration of statehood.

"Should we go to President Trump's White House in America to seek our statehood? If we cannot get justice in our own country's capital, then tell us where we should go," he asked.

"If protesting at Jantar Mantar and outside Parliament won't help, then the BJP should clearly tell us where the demand for statehood should be raised," he added.

'Either Separatism Is Over, Or Your Claims Are Wrong'

Omar Abudllah also hit back at the BJP over its criticism of inviting Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Kashmiri to Jantar Mantar for the protest.

He said the BJP and sections of the media had branded him a separatist, even while Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah had been repeatedly claiming that separatism had been wiped out from Jammu and Kashmir.

"Both cannot be true at the same time," he said. "Either separatism has ended in Kashmir, as the BJP claims, or the person you call a separatist proves those claims wrong."

The chief minister alleged that the BJP was running "Operation Lotus" in J&K to split his party.

This comes a day after BJP leaders accused Chief Minister Omar Abdullah of misleading people with false allegations that the BJP offered Rs 20 to Rs 30 crore to NC MLAs to switch sides.

Omar Abdullah further accused the BJP of systematically weakening opposition parties across the country.

"Before every election, you try to break political parties," Omar said, citing Maharashtra, West Bengal and the fallout of the Aam Aadmi Party in Punjab as examples.

Referring to the BJP's own term "Operation Lotus", he added: "When you fail to come to power through elections, you resort to backdoor politics."

He asserted that the National Conference would continue its democratic struggle for the restoration of J&K's statehood and urged the Centre to fulfil its commitment to the people of the Union Territory.