CM unfurls National Flag, takes salute at march past at Bakshi Stadium

SRINAGAR: Emphasizing the need for a definite change in the mind-set of a particular category of national leaders regarding treating Jammu and Kashmir discriminately, Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah Thursday criticized them for showing complete duplicity in their approach towards the issues like Kishtwar. “You treat similar incidents in rest of the Country differently and in Jammu and Kashmir differently”, he told them and down played this kind of treatment.
Without naming BJP and likeminded politicians, Omar Abdullah said, “It is most unfortunate on the part of these leaders to discriminate Jammu and Kashmir vis-à-vis other States and show biased approach while dealing with similar matters differently in Jammu and Kashmir and the rest of the Country”. He said that he was once asked why people of Jammu and Kashmir think themselves different from the rest of the Country and away from the mainstream. He said that he got the reply to this question by the approach and treatment shown by these national leaders regarding Kishtwar incident.
“In fact it is you who treat the State and its people differently, consider them separate identity, deal with them in a biased approach and exhibit a peculiar mind-set towards people of Jammu and Kashmir”, he told these national leaders and said that the different and biased way of treating Jammu and Kashmir is amply visible by their reaction vis-à-vis Kishtwar incident and those taking place elsewhere in the Country. He said that Kishtwar like clashes between two groups of Hindu and Muslims claimed 34 lives in UP, 13 in Maharashtra, 15 in Madhya Pradesh, 3 in Karnataka, 6 in Rajasthan, 5 in Gujarat in 2012 and again 8 in Maharashtra, one in MP, 2 in Rajasthan and 2 in Gujarat in 2013 besides some more deaths in Bihar recently. He asked these national leaders as to why they didn’t show any concern over these incidents, initiated debates in the Parliament and on TV channels, tried to rush to the spots, tweeted on Tweeter, wrote columns in newspapers and created hype. “This is the duplicity in your approach and this makes the difference. This is the why people of the Jammu and Kashmir think that they are different from rest of the Country. It is you who make them to think like this”, he told the particular category of national leaders and asked them to peep in their outlook.
Asking these national leaders to bring change in their mind set, the Chief Minister said that integration between the people of the Country and the State cannot be achieved through provisions of law or Acts but when you show same concern and extend same treatment to the State which you do for rest of the Country. “You have to shun the separate approach towards Jammu and Kashmir, you have to shun the practice of treating Jammu and Kashmir differently, you have to measure the events through one yardstick and treat Jammu and Kashmir at par with rest of the Country then you can talk of integration of hearts and minds”, he asserted. “When you only debate in the Parliament on Kishtwar incident and show no concern regarding similar issues taking place regularly elsewhere in the Country, when you show your eagerness and enthusiasm to visit clash-hit areas in Kishtwar and no other places in the Country where such incidents take place, when you create hype on Tweeter and social media and speak vociferously in the Parliament and outside only on Kishtwar incident and not talk about similar incidents in the rest of the Country, then the people of Jammu and Kashmir think that they are different from rest of the Country”, he lamented on BJP’s approach exhibited towards Kishtwar incident and said when this kind of mind set will change people of Jammu and Kashmir will not feel to be different from rest of the Country. “It is you who have to change”, he told them.
Condemning the Kishtwar, Gool, Budgam, Banidipora and other incidents of violence, the Chief Minister said that rumours and hype regarding the unfortunate incidents fanned and propagated by peace inimical elements blew these out of proposition and tried to export violence to other parts. He said false photographs of the Kishtwar incident were circulated to exploit the sentiments of people. He said these photographs were found to be of Burma. He said these elements tried their best to put entire State in flames for their vested interests.
The Chief Minister expressed gratitude to the common masses for showing maturity and not letting the situation to go out of control. “Your cooperation has helped us to bring the situation under control and foil the designs of anti-peace elements”, he said and sought unabated cooperation of people in maintaining peace and tranquillity and carrying forward process of development in the State. He said that people of the State are committed to the harmony, brotherhood and co-existence since ages and would continue to nurture this trait. He said enemies of the harmony have been defeated in the past and would be defeated in future also.
Omar Abdullah cautioned the people against rumour mongers and impressed upon them not to get carried away by rumours but ascertain truth and show wisdom while reacting to any event.
On political issue of Jammu and Kashmir, the Chief Minister reiterated his stand that money or gun cannot solve the J&K-centric political issues but dialogue process is only way forward in this regard. “I am being time and again underlining K-issue as a political issue and driving home the necessity of dealing it politically”, he said and maintained that both internal and external dialogues were imperative to address the issues amicably. He said the external dimension of the issue needs to be settled with Pakistan and for addressing its internal dimension; the separatists should come forward for dialogue.
The Chief Minister also expressed his serious concern over the tension at LOC and borders and on violation of ceasefire. He said exchange of fire from either side would not solve any issue. He said there is need of rebuilding the confidence between the two neighbours so that dialogue process takes place.
The Chief Minister greeted the people on Independence Day and said that the development process set in by his Government all across the State would continue with firmness and commitment and thanked the people for their unabated support to him and his Government in his effort to restore peace and achieve the goal of prosperous and peaceful Jammu and Kashmir.
Omar Abdullah unfurled National Flag and took salute at the march past at Bakshi Stadium here.