The Hindu : Ready to face poll under Governor's rule: Omar

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jul 14, 2002

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Ready to face poll under Governor's rule: Omar

By Shujaat Bukhari

The National Conference president, Omar Abdullah, paying respects to martyrs who had laid down their lives fighting the despotic rule of Maharaja Hari Singh, in Srinagar on Saturday. — Photo: Nissar Ahmad

SRINAGAR JULY 13. The National Conference (NC) president and Union Minister of State for External Affairs, Omar Abdullah, today asked the Centre to come forward and discuss the issue of autonomy for Jammu and Kashmir with the State. But he ruled out bringing a bill in the Assembly, which is meeting here from Monday. He asserted that a ``conspiracy'' was being hatched against the NC by those who talked of imposition of Governor's rule before the Assembly elections.

``Go ahead, if you think that by changing the Governor you can bring people like Shabir Shah into the electoral process. I don't have any problem,'' he said addressing a meeting on Martyrs Day in Nowhatta area. He was referring to New Delhi's overtures in ``luring separatists'' to the poll process.

Mr. Abdullah said his party had no problem contesting the elections under Governor's rule. "We are not scared of that... " he said. However, if the Centre wanted to impose Governor's rule, it should amend the Constitution accordingly. ``I do not mind as I am confident the NC will return to power with a thumping majority,'' he asserted and asked the separatist leaders to come forward and prove their representative character. ``We have won the elections under Governor's rule and all the polling staff were from outside.''

Mr. Abdullah said that at least three among the polling staff this time would be from outside. Even if the staff and observers were from outside or from the U.S. or the U.K. ``we are ready for that also''. A conspiracy was being hatched against the NC but ``we are ready for sacrifices and will not relent''.

His party's demand for autonomy was genuine and had been on the NC's agenda for decades. The Centre should appoint a Union Minister to ``discuss the issue with us. Why are they shying away from the dialogue,'' he asked adding that ``it will enhance the credibility of the democratic process''. The autonomy report, he said, was explicit and they were not stuck with restoration of the pre-53 position as was being claimed.

He, however, ruled out presenting an autonomy bill in the Assembly to embarrass the Centre. But if the Centre was not ready to talk on autonomy with us, will they talk about Azadi (independence) and Pakistan with Shabir Shah and Ali Shah Geelani, he wondered.

Reacting sharply to the RSS statement equating his father and Chief Minister, Farooq Abdullah, with Mohammad Ali Jinnah, he said ``It is not only surprising but also painful as the man, risking his life, kept the Tricolour fluttering in Kashmir at the most difficult times''

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