National Conference leader Omar Abdullah on Monday accused the Jammu and Kashmir administration of “sabotaging” holding of assembly polls in the Union Territory simultaneously with that of Lok Sabha.

Omar, who was addressing a rally on the anniversary of the assassination of senior NC leader Wali Mohammad Ittoo by terrorists, alleged bureaucrats want to continue to rule Jammu and Kashmir like “uncrowned kings”.

Advertisement

“We wanted both Lok Sabha and J&K assembly elections to be held together, but it is not going to happen. Those who are currently ruling the Union Territory (UT) have sabotaged it, they do not want democracy to be re-established here. But thanks to the Supreme Court as per its order, the state assembly elections are to be concluded before September 30 and the Election Commission has also assured so,” he said.

“Hurdles were created by bureaucrats in holding simultaneous polls on the plea that they cannot make adequate security arrangements. What was the obstacle in holding simultaneous polls when the central government and the UT administration were claiming that normalcy has been restored here and there is no threat of gun or stone pelting.

“Power will come in the hands of the people after the assembly elections and neither Delhi, Raj Bhavan or bureaucracy will rule over the people here,” he added.

Omar said the assembly polls will not be an ordinary election but an opportunity for people to vote against snatching away their identity by the BJP government by abrogating Article 370 on 5 August, 2019.

Replying to questions of media-persons on the Citizenship Amendment Act, Omar said “CAA is not just against Muslims as there are many other minorities that have been kept outside its purview. This is BJP’s old habit to divide and rule and they will not mend their ways”.

Describing it as implementation of the Dixon Plan, Omar said delimitation of South Kashmir’s Anantnag parliamentary constituency by adding Jammu’s Rajouri with it was undertaken in a similar manner like the divide and rule policy of the British.

“That is what is being done here. Kashmir is being made to fight with Jammu, Hindus with Muslims and Gujjars with Paharis with the aim to win the Anantnag seat. But people know about the tactics of BJP and they will not fall in their trap,” he said.

Answering a question on electoral bonds, Omar said BJP has become a rich political party with donations of more than Rs.6,900 crore, whereas the NC got only Rs.50 lakh from Airtel. But only those political parties that do not have support of the people need to use such money. The people of J&K are with us and as such we do not need money power to win the polls.

Replying to a question on the status of the Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), Omar said that the alliance stands and it will meet in a day or two.