Omar Abdullah claims NC MLAs offered Rs 20-30 crore to defect

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah alleged attempts to topple the National Conference government by offering MLAs cash, ministerial posts and statehood promises. He also announced a July 20 protest in Delhi, demanding the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's statehood

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and Vice President of ruling National Conference (NC), Omar Abdullah, on Saturday alleged a conspiracy to break his party and claimed that MLAs were being offered Rs 20-30 crore each and the promise of statehood, to bring down his government.

”When offers of money and ministerial posts failed, attempts are now being made behind closed doors to lure our MLAs. I will ensure the BJP cannot make a backdoor entry here,” CM Abdullah said.

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He was addressing party workers on the 26th death anniversary of his grandmother, Begum Akbar Jahan, popularly known as the ‘Madr-e-Meharbaan (the benevolent mother)’ at her mausoleum at Hazratbal in Srinagar.

CM Omar alleged that attempts were being made to engineer defections in the NC, claiming that one of the party’s legislators from Jammu was offered Rs 20–30 crore, a ministerial berth and a promise of statehood to switch sides.

“Such efforts were aimed at weakening the NC, but our party would not succumb to political pressure.

“They are trying once again to break the NC. I have been told that one of our MLAs from Jammu was offered Rs 20–30 crore, a ministerial berth and a promise of statehood if he joined them. They think people’s conscience is so cheap”, he said without naming the MLA.

“We have spent nearly two years seeking the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood through dialogue rather than confrontation. I repeatedly said we wanted to secure our rights through dialogue, not conflict.

“I consciously gave the Centre time to fulfil its promises. But today we are compelled to speak of protest because something has clearly changed,” he said announcing that the NC would hold a protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on July 20.

“We will peacefully intensify our demand for the restoration of statehood, but J&K’s patience should not be mistaken for weakness”, CM Omar asserted.

He wondered why the promise of restoring statehood remained unfulfilled despite the completion of the delimitation process and Assembly elections.

Recalling the Centre’s submissions before the Supreme Court during the Article 370 proceedings, CM Omar said the government had outlined a three-step road map comprising delimitation, Assembly elections and restoration of statehood.

“Delimitation has been completed, elections have been held and the people have given us the mandate. What is our fault now? Why is the promise of restoring statehood still pending?” he asked.

He asked the Centre to state clearly whether the restoration of statehood was contingent upon a change in the political dispensation in Jammu and Kashmir.

“If that is your position, have the courage to say publicly that until your party (BJP) forms the government here, statehood will not be restored,” he said.

CM Omar said his party would continue to pursue the restoration of statehood through democratic and peaceful means while resisting any attempts to divide the party.

About the functioning of the elected government, CM Omar said if key decisions continued to be taken from Raj Bhavan, there was little purpose in holding elections.

“If everything has to be run from Raj Bhavan, if employees are to be dismissed and all major decisions taken there, then why were elections held?

“Why were we brought into government with our hands tied behind our backs?” he said.

In his gratitude to his grandmother, CM Omar said she witnessed Sher-e-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah being jailed, saw the NC split in 1984, yet never abandoned the path of patience.

“The biggest lesson she taught us was that patience is not weakness. It does not mean we will stop raising our voice for our rights. If anyone mistakes our patience for weakness, they are mistaken. Our patience is our strength and God willing, it will become our victory,” he said.

NC President, Dr Farooq Abdullah and almost all senior leaders of the party gathered at Hazratbal on Saturday to pay tribute to Madr-e-Meharbaan on her 26th death anniversary. Floral tributes were followed by speeches of gratitude by many other leaders of the NC.