NC’s statehood rally theatrics to mask governance failures: LOP
Srinagar, Jul 10: Leader of Opposition in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, Sunil Sharma, on Friday dismissed the National Conference’s (NC) planned protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar as mere “theatrics” aimed at concealing the ruling coalition’s governance failures, particularly on the issue of statehood restoration. Sharma said that the BJP would boycott the July 20 event and instead launch a statewide mass campaign against the government’s alleged “job outsourcing” policy, which he described as a “total injustice” to the youth of J&K. Addressing a news conference here, Sharma criticised the NC for inviting leaders from 52 political and religious outfits across the country to join the protest demanding the restoration of J&K's statehood. He accused the party of indulging in corruption under the guise of the statehood demand and questioned the credibility of its leadership. “They have come up with new theatrics to hide their failures. I fail to understand why the people of J&K get attracted to their theatrics. They have enacted so many dramas for the last three generations. Now the third generation is enacting a drama at the Jantar Mantar. This is an eyewash. You are indulging in corruption in the name of statehood,” Sharma said. The BJP leader argued that when people seek answers on governance issues, the government diverts attention by announcing protests in Delhi. He said that statehood for J&K would be restored through parliamentary processes, not through street protests. “Why should we go to Jantar Mantar? With whom should we go? With these impostors, these thugs, these thieves, these corrupt people? They are taking those people along who used to speak the language of separatism, who have caused bloodshed in Kashmir. The BJP rejects such thieves, looters, and murderers,” Sharma said. He referred to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s announcement on August 15 last year of a signature campaign in support of statehood restoration. “A year has passed, does he remember that?” he asked pointedly, highlighting the perceived lack of follow-through. Asserting that the BJP would not remain silent, Sharma announced that his party would initiate a “mass campaign” in collaboration with the youth of J&K against the government’s job outsourcing policy. The agitation will begin with a “civil secretariat gherao” and spread across the region. “We will begin this movement with civil secretariat gherao. We will launch an agitation from Kashmir and will take it to every corner to seek justice for the youth,” he said. Sharma appealed to the youth to join the fight for their rights and demanded that the government immediately roll back the outsourcing policy. He accused the ruling dispensation of widespread corruption and urged investigative agencies to probe the government thoroughly. LoP accuses CM Omar of dubing 2010 victims as drug peddlers. The LOP also criticised the NC, alleging that during the 2010 unrest the then NC-led government had dubbed innocent school-going children Wamiq Farooq and Tufail Matoo — as drug peddlers in court affidavits to cover up its failures. Sharma, while addressing a news conference, said that court affidavits filed by Omar Abdullah (then Chief Minister) and the Minister of State for Home had described the victims as drug peddlers. “They were innocent school-going children. They were murdered and dubbed as drug peddlers,” he said. The BJP leader linked the remarks to the ongoing political discourse on statehood restoration. “They want statehood back and subsequent murders of Kashmir people, especially youth,” Sharma said, contrasting it with the current situation under Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government, which he said “did not allow any civilian killing.”
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