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| BJP trains guns on Cong over CM Omar’s resolution | | | Sanjay Pandita
Early Times Report
Jammu, Sept 25: After creating an uproar in the Legislative Assembly in Srinagar, BJP MLAs, at a hurriedly convened press conference in Jammu, targeted the Congress and asked the grand old party to clarify its stand on the demand for greater autonomy raised by its coalition partner, the National Conference.
As the 2000 autonomy resolution was mentioned in the Assembly, the BJP seized the opportunity, and five of its MLAs air-dashed to Jammu from Srinagar to raise the issue.
“The Jammu and Kashmir unit and the national leadership of the Congress have to clear their stand on the resolution moved by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in the Legislative Assembly today,” senior BJP leader and Jammu-North MLA Sham Lal Sharma said while addressing a joint press conference with Dr Narinder Singh, Vikram Randhawa, Yudhvir Sethi and Surinder Kumar, all MLAs.
“The ideology of the ruling National Conference is very much clear on this issue. We want to ask the Congress leadership to clear its stand on restoration of the pre-1953 position in Jammu and Kashmir,” Sharma said.
Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma on Friday said the BJP was ready to debate the restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir but would not allow a debate on Article 370 or the 2000 autonomy resolution.
Addressing reporters in Srinagar, Sharma said the resolution moved by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was “controversial” and questioned the inclusion of the 2000 autonomy resolution in the fresh resolution seeking restoration of statehood.
“Today’s resolution moved by the Chief Minister is controversial and disputed. The BJP had rejected the autonomy resolution and even tore it up. Why is that resolution being discussed again in today’s resolution?” Sharma said.
He also questioned the Congress party’s position on the autonomy resolution and Article 370, asking it to clarify whether it stood with the resolutions or the government.
“Congress should clear its position, from Rahul Gandhi to the state chief of Congress. Is it with this resolution? Is it with the pre-1953 resolution? Is it with the resolution of 370, or is it with the government?” he said.
Sharma also questioned Omar Abdullah’s position, pointing out that he was a minister in the NDA government led by then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee when the autonomy resolution was rejected.
“When the BJP rejected and tore up this resolution, wasn’t Omar Abdullah a minister in the NDA at that time? Didn’t he continue as a partner of the NDA?” he asked.
The LoP said the government was using the statehood issue to divert attention from governance-related issues, while asserting that the BJP was ready for a debate on statehood.
“If you want to debate statehood, we challenge you. We are ready to debate on statehood. But you want to make Kashmir a fool in the name of statehood,” Sharma said.
He further alleged that the government was using the statehood issue to “hide its failures” and delay its restoration.
“The BJP rejects this resolution. The so-called autonomy and the resolution of 370, and we will not allow debate on this issue,” he said.
LoP Sharma said the BJP would continue its protest until the Congress clarified its position on Article 370 and the autonomy resolution and the government answered its questions. |
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