Omar\’s remarks shameful, fumes BJP

Indo-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE

NEW DELHI - Taking strong exception to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah\’s assertion that Kashmir had not merged with India but acceded with it , the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Thursday said his statement was shameful\” and was meant to \”hide his incompetence\”.

Nobody has given him the right to question Jammu and Kashmir\’s merger and accession. He is a flop chief minister. Of all the chief ministers in the state, he is the most unpopular. He has made such remarks to hide his incompetency, BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain said here.

Condemning Abdullah\’s remarks, Hussain said it was an old habit of the National Conference leaders to speak in different tones in Delhi and in Kashmir.

He said the entire Jammu and Kashmir, including the part held by Pakistan, was an integral part of India and Abdullah\’s statement was akin to those made by separatists.

Hussain said that BJP members in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly were Thursday evicted by marshals after they protested against the chief minister\’s remarks. They were manhandled. Four of them received injuries, the spokesman said.

Taking on the Congress over Abdullah\’s remarks, Hussain said that its general secretary Rahul Gandhi had given another chance to the chief minister despite his failure as an administrator. Was he (Abdullah) given a chance to make such remarks? Hussain asked.

He said the Congress is part of the ruling alliance in Jammu and Kashmir and cannot escape its responsibility over Abdullah\’s remarks.

Congress should clarify if it agrees with Abdullah\’s remarks or not, Hussain said.

Asked about the chief minister\’s remarks that his government was not a puppet, Hussain said the party also wants that he (Abdullah) should not be a puppet of separatists.

The chief minister reportedly told the state assembly Wednesday that the state had acceded to India and not merged with it as some of the other princely states of the country.