Says Kashmir’s past poverty is historical fact; asserts legal obligation to follow Vande Mataram provision, says Congress can repeal law if it comes to power; reiterates push for local youth in filmmaking
Srinagar, Sep 10: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday defended National Conference chief spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq over his recent remarks, saying what he said was historically accurate and that neither he nor the party needed to apologise or issue any clarification.
Speaking to reporters here, the Chief Minister, as reported by the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said the poverty and hardships faced by Kashmiris in the past were well documented by historians and were not Tanvir’s personal thinking.
“What Tanvir said is historically accurate. He does not need to apologise or clarify what he said,” Omar said.
He said Walter Lawrence and several other historians had written about Jammu and Kashmir, particularly about the poverty of Kashmiris and the hardships people faced under the system of Zaildars, Chakdars and landlords.
“People did not have money. Tanvir did not talk about this first. Maybe there is a senior National Conference leader, from our President to General Secretary and others, who did not talk about this,” he said.
He said there was a time when Kashmiris were extremely poor and had to face severe hardships even for basic necessities. “There was a time when Kashmiris were so poor that they had to come to the city with their pyjamas from the mosque. This is not Tanvir’s own thinking. This is a historical fact,” he said.
Abdullah said Sadiq’s remarks should also be seen in the context of the progress made by Kashmiris, who, he said, had moved from poverty to educating their children and producing doctors and engineers.
“Maybe this was his intention: that we have come here from that poverty, where we educate our children. We are making our children doctors and engineers,” Omar said.
The CM also alleged that the BJP and PDP were playing the “match” together and had a common agenda in raising the issue. “Tanvir does not need to apologise for this. Nor does he need to give any clarification. Nor does my party need to apologise for this. Tanvir did not do anything wrong,” he said.
Vande Mataram row
On the Congress opposing the singing of the full stanzas of Vande Mataram at government functions, the Chief Minister said the government was bound to follow the law as long as the existing legal provisions remained in force.
He said the National Conference had never accepted Vande Mataram as a party and would not accept it in the future, but said it would fulfil its legal and statutory obligations.
“If the Congress government comes, I pray that the Congress government comes as soon as possible and abolishes this in Parliament. Let them do it. We have no objection,” he said. “However, as long as the law exists, we have to follow it.”
Omar said the function involving two Governors, the Lieutenant Governor and the Acting Chief Justice of the High Court, would necessarily include the National Anthem. He said under the existing provision, the full stanzas of Vande Mataram had also become compulsory at such government functions.
He said the provision was applicable across the country and not merely to Jammu and Kashmir, including in states governed by the Congress.
He further said failure to comply with the provision could lead to legal action. “So what does the Congress want? For Kashmiris to be imprisoned with this excuse? This is a statutory obligation,” Abdullah said.
On Kashmiri Pandit employees’ accommodation
Responding to a protest by Kashmiri Pandit employees over accommodation, Omar questioned the basis of the protest, saying those for whom transit accommodation was ready had already been allotted accommodation.
“Not a single one is on the road. Not one of them is homeless. Where the transit accommodation is ready, they have been allotted,” he said.
He asked which Kashmiri Pandit employee was currently without accommodation and said anyone genuinely facing the issue should approach the authorities.
On filmmaking opportunities for local youth
The Chief Minister reiterated the government’s efforts to create opportunities for local youth in filmmaking and related fields. “I said on the first day itself that we are trying to get our local kids to do camera work, production, all these things. They should do courses in this. And there should be film shootings here,” he said.
He said local youngsters should be given opportunities to work in the film and production sector in Jammu and Kashmir.
Delhi summit, Cabinet meeting
On the upcoming summit in Delhi, the CM said a major event was scheduled for September 12, with leaders from Russia, China, South Africa and Brazil among those participating.
He said a Cabinet meeting had also been called, noting that the government holds a Cabinet meeting every month. “The governance agenda cannot be stopped,” Omar said, adding that the summit would not affect the government’s functioning or its regular governance work—(KNO)