Will Omar Abdullah Address the L-G's Critique on J&K Performance?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Omar Abdullah is cautious in responding to the L-G's remarks.
- The L-G asserts that the government has enough authority to perform its duties.
- The debate over statehood continues to impact governance in J&K.
Srinagar, Oct 31 (NationPress) J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah stated on Friday that he will refrain from commenting on the remarks made by the Lt Governor (L-G), Manoj Sinha, until he reviews Sinha's statement, which had criticized Abdullah for making excuses regarding his government's under-performance.
When queried by journalists about the L-G's remarks, Abdullah mentioned he had not yet read Sinha's statement.
“Initially, I want to examine the specific wording he employed; if there’s a discrepancy between what he said and what you are reporting, my comments could be misinterpreted,” the Chief Minister stated.
However, he added that should the L-G's comments align with what the media has conveyed, he “will address it at an appropriate moment.”
Previously, the L-G remarked that the elected government possesses sufficient authority and should prioritize addressing the concerns of the populace instead of using the lack of statehood as a cover for under-performance.
The L-G emphasized that the absence of statehood in J&K cannot be justified as an excuse for under-performance, asserting that the elected government wields all necessary powers.
While speaking at the J&K UT Foundation Day celebrations at the Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar, the L-G noted that the Union Home Minister Amit Shah had indicated in Parliament that delimitation would precede assembly elections, followed by the restoration of statehood when deemed appropriate.
“However, some individuals seem to have issues. When assembly elections were conducted, it was evident that they were for the J&K assembly. The elected government cannot claim that progress is halted until statehood is reinstated,” the L-G stated.
He reiterated that the elected government has full authority and urged citizens not to be misled by the pretext of lacking statehood.