Date:27/06/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/06/27/stories/2008062761171300.htm

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Withdraw claim on land: Omar

Shujaat Bukhari

“Will not attend all-party meeting”

— Photo: NISSAR AHMAD

National Conference president Omar Abdullah addressing a press conference in Srinagar on Thursday.

SRINAGAR: The Opposition National Conference on Thursday rejected Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad’s proposal for an all-party meet to find a solution to the issue of land transferred to Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB). Party leaders called on Governor N.N. Vohra and urged him to withdraw the claim on the land to defuse the crisis.

A high-level NC delegation led by its president Omar Abdullah met Mr. Vohra at the Raj Bhavan and impressed upon him that the situation had taken a dangerous turn. “We requested him that in his capacity as the Chairman of SASB he should withdraw the claim on the land transferred to the Board and that will be the best possible solution in the given circumstances,” Mr. Abdullah later told a news conference.

“He heard us and we hope he will address the concerns of the people.” He said not a single Kashmiri was against the yatra. “It is not a question of pilgrimage, but of land.”

Mr. Abdullah said the NC would not participate in the all-party meeting to be convened by the Chief Minister. The government should have consulted his party before taking the decision as it had been in the pipeline since 2005. “What have they been doing all these years,” he asked.

To a question, he said the NC brought the SASB Act to set up the board for ensuring accountability and easing the pressure on the State government. He, however, said that if people reposed faith in the NC and “we come to power, we will make necessary amendments.”

The NC president said that if the breakdown of law and order persisted, then imposition of Governor’s rule would become a necessity. “We would certainly demand that Governor’s rule be imposed to deal with the situation but that has to be limited till the time of elections,” he told The Hindu.

He said if the Governor or the government failed to take any decision on the lines his party had suggested, then the NC would be forced to take to the streets. Mr. Abdullah described the situation as sensitive and said efforts should be made to contain it. “It is due to complete lack of application of mind by the government that this has happened,” he said.