"Lt Governor's Failure Took Us To Brink Of War": Omar Abdullah On Pahalgam

The gloves came off Monday morning after police manhandled Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to stop him from entering the Martyr's Graveyard in Srinagar to pay tribute to Kashmiri protesters killed by Maharaja Hari Singh's Dogra forces on July 13, 1931.

Visibly furious, Mr Abdullah spoke to NDTV shortly after videos of police almost assaulting his ministerial colleagues and him made headlines, and repeatedly ripped into the ruling BJP, attacking the "idiots" behind a "foolish, short-sighted decision" and then demanding restoration of J&K's statehood.

In the context of the latter point, NDTV asked Mr Abdullah if the Pahalgam terror attack was a setback, i.e., could it mean the federal government might delay statehood citing security concerns.

A furious Chief Minister pointed out that Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, the centre's rep in J&K, had taken 'full responsibilty' for the intel failure leading to the attack.

"What happened in Pahalgam was not my failure. The Lieutenant Governor admitted it was his failure. It was the LG's failure," Mr Abdullah told NDTV, "took us to the brink of war."

The April 22 attack in J&K's Pahalgam saw 26 people, mostly civilians, killed by terrorists linked to Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba. Amid global outrage, India launched a military response - Operation Sindoor - that eliminated terror camps in Pak and Pak-occupied Kashmir.

Omar's J&K Statehood Push

But Pahalgam, Mr Abdullah insisted, would not stand in the way of J&K becoming a state again, warning those who might oppose this, "We have plans if this promise Is not fulfilled. We have ways to get our voice to Delhi... democratic and peaceful means will be used."

J&K had been bifurcated into two union territories, the first was the UT of Jammu and Kashmir and the second was the UT of Ladakh, in 2019. This was after the BJP-led centre scrapped Article 370 that gave the former state 'special status' and a host of privileges.

Both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah have since said statehood will be restored - the PM said that in September last year too - but neither has provided timelines.

Mr Abdullah, after he was sworn in last year, said he would work towards that goal but said he wanted a cooperative approach between the centre and his administration to achieve that end.

Now, however, it appears the Chief Minister is ready to force that issue. "J&K was promised statehood... and what was promised should be given. PM had said, 'this is Modi's promise'..."

'You're Telling J&K They Don't Matter'

Mr Abdullah - who recorded a thumping win in last year's Assembly election, the first in a decade in the former state - also warned the BJP against underestimating the Kashmiri people, saying today's actions said the federal government does not care about the people of J&K.

"This is not about what happened to me... or my colleagues. This is about the wider message that you are sending to the people of Jammu and Kashmir - that their voice doesn't matter."

READ | "Protectors Of Law...": Omar Abdullah Shares Video Of Grappling With Cops

"You are going out of your way to tell the people of Jammu and Kashmir that they are 'powerless'... but they are not. Don't blame us for what happens," Mr Abdullah raged ominously, "If they had just let us go quietly to offer prayers... them this would have been a non-issue."

The all-out attack continued with stinging references to those killed in July 1931 protests.

"They were protesting against the British rule just like anyone else in the country at that time... but you treat them as 'villains'... you treat them differently because they are Muslim."

Attached to that jab was an invitation to the BJP to look to Delhi and the wave of support for the saffron party that propelled it to a massive win over Arvind Kejriwal's AAP in the February election.

READ | Omar Abdullah's 'Don't Expect Delhi' Jab At BJP Refers To AAP vs LG

So tomorrow, if you have an election and 20 per cent come out (to vote) instead of 60 per cent, please remember this day and remember who to blame... if you are going to continue to mess with democratically-elected institutions... to project them as 'powerless', don't expect a result like Delhi."

NDTV is now available on WhatsApp channels. Click on the link to get all the latest updates from NDTV on your chat.