Jammu, Feb 7: Leader of the National Conference Omar Abdullah claimed on Wednesday that the police had shut the gates to his home here and that they had led him to his office in the manner of a “criminal” in order to prevent him from going to the Sunderbani area of the Rajouri district. The former chief minister made light of the BJP and the government of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Singh by stating, “This has not happened for the first time.” At the party headquarters here, he told reporters, “And as the (Lok Sabha) elections draw closer, I am sure such curbs will witness a spurt.” Declaring that there was a law and order issue, Abdullah claimed that the “gates of my house have been locked since this morning.”He went on, “I know the police will later deny placing curbs on me, so I took pictures.” The vice president of the National Conference claimed that he had been refused permission to attend a party gathering in the Sunderbani neighbourhood of Rajouri. “Even the sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) escorted me like a criminal to the (party) office.” To ensure that my car doesn’t make any more turns, the SDPO followed me from my residence to the office for the first time, he stated. The former chief minister restated his earlier claim that Jammu & Kashmir is not permitted to experience democracy.“They’ve demonstrated it once more. Everyone is free to engage in political activity, they claim, but only if they support the BJP and its government,” Abdullah remarked. “Those like us who don’t work for the government or participate in BJP flattery encounter these kinds of restrictions. We are used to these kinds of things today,” he continued. In response to a query about why he wasn’t allowed entry because the government was worried that Omar’s visit would inflame tensions between the Gujjars and the Paharis following the latter group’s inclusion in the Scheduled Tribes, Omar joked, “that means the government is weak and I can disturb the situation all alone.” “I consider myself fortunate that the government needs to lock me inside my house because they are so terrified of my authority. It’s great that they think well of me; I never imagined myself to be so strong, but I now need to reconsider,” he remarked. The head of the National Conference declared that the government’s actions demonstrate their lack of strength, skill, and bravery. For the general benefit of Jammu and Kashmir, he declared, “It is better for them to step down from the government and give the reins to us who have command over the people and who can provoke or silence the people.” According to Abdullah, his party has consistently backed the Pahari speaking people’s demand for Schedule Tribe recognition. “We have not practiced prejudice while in power. The then-governor approved the Pahari Reservation Bill that we had passed in the legislature. “We attempted to put the reservation into effect, but we were unsuccessful in the election, and the new administration ignored it,” Abdullah stated. “If you go back, during his administration, when the central government led by Indira Gandhi granted Gujjars the status, NC president Farooq Abdullah made the demand for ST status for Paharis. When Farooq was asked for a recommendation, he promptly called a cabinet meeting and wrote a letter to the prime minister at the time, he continued. “We have always been in support of ST status to Paharis without snatching the rights of the Gujjars whose quota should be impacted,” Abdullah stated, claiming the National Conference, whenever in power, followed the subject with seriousness. Referring to party MP Hasnain Masoodi’s speech in parliament prior to the Lok Sabha passing the Constitution (Jammu and Kashmir) Scheduled Tribes Order (Amendment) Bill, 2024, which aims to add four communities to the list of Scheduled Tribes in Jammu and Kashmir: the Gadda Brahmin, Koli, Paddari Tribe, and Pahari Ethnic Group, he said that he raised legitimate concerns because the bill made no mention of how it would be put into effect. Gujjars should be given trust by the Lt Governor administration and the central government, and they should be informed about how their quota share would be safeguarded. They have issues that require attention, Abdullah stated.
