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PDP doesn’t understand English, maybe French will help: CM Omar’s sharp jibe

Early Times Report

Jammu, May 10: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Sunday delivered a sharp and satirical rejoinder to the People's Democratic Party (PDP), suggesting that while the party leadership may struggle to understand English—and apparently even Urdu—they might finally grasp the issue if it were explained in French.
Taking a tongue-in-cheek swipe at the opposition over its allegations of “backdoor appointments,” Omar Abdullah said the PDP was either unable or unwilling to comprehend the basic difference between outsourcing and illegal recruitment.
“English they do not understand. I explained it in Urdu as well, but they are still trying to mislead the people,” the Chief Minister told reporters. “Perhaps I will have to speak in French so that the PDP leadership can understand the distinction between outsourcing and backdoor appointments.”
The Chief Minister’s remark was laced with sarcasm but carried a pointed message: despite repeated explanations in two widely understood languages, the opposition continued to blur the line between a legitimate administrative process and what it described as clandestine appointments.
Rejecting the allegations outright, Omar Abdullah challenged the PDP, led by Mehbooba Mufti, to produce even a single example of a so-called backdoor appointment made by the present Jammu and Kashmir National Conference government.
“There is a clear and obvious difference between outsourcing and backdoor appointments,” he said. “Outsourcing is undertaken under approved government schemes and established procedures. It is not some secret passage into government service.”
The Chief Minister implied that the opposition was less interested in understanding administrative facts and more focused on manufacturing controversy. His French quip quickly became the highlight of the interaction, underscoring his frustration with what he described as the PDP’s repeated attempts to confuse the public.
In political terms, the message was unmistakable: if English failed and Urdu did not help, perhaps the language of Paris would succeed where plain facts had not.
Omar Abdullah also dismissed allegations related to transfer and posting matters, terming them factually incorrect and politically motivated. Clarifying one such claim, he said Shami Oberoi is merely the Treasurer of the National Conference and does not hold any ministerial position.
“Before making public statements, they should at least check the facts,” he said.
The Chief Minister accused the PDP of trying to divert attention from the development initiatives underway across Jammu and Kashmir. He asserted that his government remains focused on infrastructure, healthcare, youth welfare, and the timely completion of public projects.
In short, the Chief Minister suggested that the issue was never about language at all. The distinction between outsourcing and backdoor appointments, he implied, is clear enough in English, Urdu—or even French—for anyone genuinely interested in understanding it.