"If a father wishes his son to sleep forever in the grave in Kashmir, then use guns. Sheri-Kashmir (Sheikh Abdullah) during his lifetime never approved gun culture and did not approve that entry of guns in Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
On Thursday, National Conference leader Omar Abdullah asserted that there should be no political interference in the delimitation process in Jammu and Kashmir. He said that some people do not want assembly polls to be held in the Union Territory. "I know that some people do not want elections to be held in Jammu and Kashmir. Let us see how long they will be successful in their conspiracies", he told reporters in Ramban.
Abdullah said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah have talked about the elections in J&K. "The prime minister talked about elections on August 15. In a meeting later in Delhi, Prime minister talked about removal of 'Dil say Doori aur Delhi say Doori'. We want ‘Dil say Dori and Delhi say Dori’ to lessen. Recently, the home minister repeated that elections would be held after delimitation," he said.
Replying to another question about delimitation, Abdullah said that regions have separate demands over that and “we want that there should no political interference.” “The 2011 census data driven delimitation should take place", he said. He claimed that there are grievances of people that BJP is interfering in the delimitation process. "They want maps of assembly constituencies to redrawn in such a way that benefits them most politically", he said.
Earlier speaking to public meeting, Abdullah said former chief ministers Sheikh Abdullah and Farooq Abdullah did not approve gun culture and counselled the youth not to take to guns as it would only mean destruction. "We have not picked up stones. Farooq Abdullah is such a leader, who in 1986 when the there was beginning of gun culture (militancy), addressed congregation at Hazratbal. In that speech, he told the youth of Kashmir that if you don't like Farooq Abdullah.. just tell him, he will withdraw. You bring anyone (to power here). But please don't pick up a gun. Picking up gun would only mean destruction", he said.
He pointed towards Sheikh Abdullah, one of the tallest leader of Jammu and Kashmir, who led the National Conference, and said "in history, it is recorded that there was a conference in Libya." A "big Chinese leader" told Sheikh that they will provide guns and "you snatch Kashmir", he said. The leader of Libya took the Sheikh Abdullah to a graveyard in Tripoli, and pointed to the grave of his son and said his son became a victim of these guns, Omar Abdullah said.
"If a father wishes his son to sleep forever in the grave in Kashmir, then use guns. Sheri-Kashmir (Sheikh Abdullah) during his lifetime never approved gun culture and did not approve that entry of guns in Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
Abdullah said that when talks happen of fighting a constitutional battle in the Supreme Court, BJP leaders say “we speak the language of Pakistan”. “These days, it is very easy for BJP leaders to say this as they see a Pakistani in every Muslim, especially Muslims of Jammu and Kashmir,'' he added. Maintaining that he does not know what they will have to do to prove they are not with Pakistan, Omar Abdullah said they established a relationship with India in 1947 and since then have made sacrifices with their own blood to keep this relationship.
“What wrong are we saying if we ask for protecting the promises given to Jammu and Kashmir and which were given a constitutional shape under Article 370 so as to maintain that relationship?” he asked. Abdullah said that they do not ask for anything expect that they do justice with them.
-With PTI Inputs