JAMMU: J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah questioned Thursday the BJP-led Centre’s “silence” on swathes of the region under Chinese control. The National Conference (NC) mascot did so while referring to external affairs minister S Jaishankar’s recent statement about reclaiming Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
“The foreign minister has said they will bring back the portion of Kashmir controlled by Pakistan. Did we ever stop them? If they can bring it back, they should do it now. But why no talks on China? Why does the (Union) govt only focus on PoK while ignoring Chinese control over parts of J&K,” the CM said in the assembly during a debate.
Jaishankar had made the comments on Wednesday in London in response to a Pakistani scribe’s query, saying the Kashmir issue would be solved when the “stolen part of Kashmir, which is under illegal Pakistani occupation” was returned.
Omar pointed out, however, that “one part is with Pakistan, and another is with China”, asking why the Centre didn’t talk about taking back the portions under Beijing’s grip. The CM mentioned further that the Kargil war of 1999 was a good opportunity for the Centre to take back POK, but was missed. “It’s okay that it could not be done then, but if you can reclaim it today, then who among us will say don’t get it back?” Omar asked.
Omar came down heavily on BJP leaders for accusing his NC of insulting J&K’s last ruler Maharaja Hari Singh and challenged them to give just one instance when the ruling party or any other Kashmir-based party insulted the Dogra ruler, even as he accused BJP of downgrading the Muslim-majority state.
The CM renewed his criticism of the 2019 abrogation of statehood and division into two parts — J&K and Ladakh. “Maharaja Bahadur (rulers of Princely State) gave you a map of J&K as a legacy. You (the Centre) divided the map of J&K into two parts and now you say this is what the people of Ladakh wanted. Did you ask the people of Ladakh what they wanted?” Omar asked.
The CM explained why return of statehood was necessary. “I am not fighting for statehood for myself, this fight is in J&K’s interest. The things we want to do can be given practical shape only when we get back statehood,” Omar said.
