By Yusuf Jameel

Copyright deccanchronicle

Srinagar: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, targeting his governance style, alleged poor performance, and his persistent demand for the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. In a particularly provocative claim, Leader of the Opposition, Sunil Sharma, accused Abdullah of seeking statehood to consolidate power with the intent of targeting innocent Kashmiri civilians.The remarks were made during a press conference here, escalating the political rhetoric amid ongoing tensions between the ruling National Conference (NC) and the BJP. Sharma’s attack was framed as a historical critique of Abdullah’s tenure as Chief Minister of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.He alleged that during Abdullahs’ previous terms, particularly under the guise of counter-terrorism operations, innocent Kashmiris were killed, schools were closed, and widespread shutdowns disrupted daily life. “If we revisit the pages of history, we find countless fabricated narratives propagated in the name of countering terrorism. Many innocent people lost their lives during Omar Abdullah’s tenure. Is your demand for statehood a pretext to kill innocent Kashmiris? You didn’t eliminate terrorists—you targeted civilians, enforced shutdowns, and closed schools,” Sharma charged.The BJP’s accusations come in the context of the NC’s vocal criticism of the Central Government for delaying the restoration of statehood to J&K, which was revoked in August 2019 following the abrogation of Article 370. The NC, led by figures including Omar Abdullah, has also accused Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha of obstructing the smooth functioning of the elected government in the Union Territory.Sharma, however, dismissed these claims, asserting that Abdullah’s leadership had historically failed to protect civilians and instead caused harm during his time in power. He pointedly questioned the NC’s record during periods when J&K enjoyed statehood under its governance. “Wasn’t statehood in place during the National Conference governments from 1996 to 2008 and 2008 to 2014? Wasn’t it under your rule before 1989 and 1982?” he asked, challenging Abdullah’s narrative that the lack of statehood is the root of governance issues. He further accused the NC of fostering an environment of fear, where political opponents were detained under the Public Safety Act (PSA) and parents worried about the safety of their school-going children.In a sharp rebuke, Sharma held the NC responsible for introducing controversial measures like the PSA and pellet guns, which he claimed were used to suppress dissent and harm civilians. “It was your party that brought in pellet guns and the PSA. If we look at the data, the highest number of innocent civilians were killed during your tenure,” he alleged, contrasting this with the BJP-led Central Government’s record. Sharma praised the Ministry of Home Affairs for its efforts in curbing terrorism in J&K without causing civilian casualties. “No one can point a finger at the MHA for harming civilians. Their greatest achievement is that not a single local youth has joined terrorism, showing that Kashmir’s youth have embraced the Government of India’s policies and want to express their concerns within a democratic framework,” he stated.The BJP leader also accused Abdullah of misleading the public by repeatedly claiming that the lack of statehood equates to a lack of power for the elected government. “In every speech—whether on August 15, at public events, or in institutions—Omar Abdullah tries to deceive the people of Jammu and Kashmir by saying they have no power,” he said. To counter these claims, Sharma highlighted that Lt. Governor Sinha had approved 97 decisions made by the Council of Ministers over the past year. “Which file has the LG not approved? Which pro-people decision has been stalled? Is it the provision of 200 units of free electricity, 12 LPG cylinders, 10 kilograms of ration, or the creation of one lakh jobs (some of the promises made by the NC during 2024 Assembly polls)?”, he asked, challenging Abdullah to provide evidence of obstruction.Further intensifying his criticism, Sharma accused Abdullah of delaying key administrative decisions himself. He claimed that files related to the appointment of the Advocate General, the Transaction of Business Rules (ToBR), the appointment of the Chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education, and the promotion of engineers were pending in the Chief Minister’s office. “I have learned that these files are sitting with the CM’s office,” Sharma remarked, suggesting that Abdullah was deflecting blame to cover up his own administrative shortcomings.Sharma challenged the Chief Minister to name any BJP leader who allegedly offered to form a government with the NC, dismissing Abdullah’s claims as baseless. He demanded proof of any such offer, asserting that the BJP’s doors were and remain closed to Abdullah. He accused…