Srinagar, Nov. 5: Omar Abdullah, the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, praised the late former Indian prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Tuesday, saying that J&K would not be where it is now if Vajpayee’s roadmap had been fully implemented.
Regarding the late Vajpayee, what should I say? He was an extraordinary visionary. Vajpayee was a powerful figure who founded the bus from Lahore to Minar-e-Pakistan. He consistently made an effort to establish cordial relations with Pakistan. Speaking about the obituary references of the 57 lawmakers who have died in the last ten years, Omar said, “He was the one who kept saying that friends can be changed but neighbors cannot.” He said that the Jhamoriyat, Kashmiriyat, and Insaniyat slogans of the Vajpayee were full of vision. He remarked, “He was possibly the first and last leader to use this slogan.”
According to Omar, the Vajpayee was responsible for building roads that connected the residents of J&K’s divided regions. The Chief Minister stated that the goal of the road opening was to establish a personal connection between the public and civil society.
Unfortunately, he said, Vajpayee’s road map and path have been abandoned in the middle, and “instead of connecting people, distances are being created.” “We would not be where we are now if Vajpayee’s roadmap on J&K had been implemented and followed in spirit,” Omar said, alluding to the BJP-led government’s deception on August 5, 2019, when it repealed Article 370 and divided the former J&K State into two UTs: Ladakh and J&K.
According to the Chief Minister, the Vajpayee-led cabinet returned the Autonomy resolution after it was approved by the J&K Assembly. However, Vajpayee later realized that the decision was made in a hurry. Omar stated, “He assigned the then-law minister to discuss the matter with the NC leadership.” However, further progress on the matter was not possible. The death of Vajpayee brought about a significant change.
He gave Vajpayee lavish tributes. Omar also paid respects to Devender Singh Rana, his former advisor, saying that he was unaware of his friend’s health. “Devender is the member whose death has hurt me the most. I spent the best years of my life with him as a great friend. I was unaware of his poor health. Perhaps I would have attempted to put an end to the distances and outrage if I had known about his health,” Omar remarked.
Omar added that lawmakers from Ladakh and Kargil are mentioned in today’s obituary references, and that since Ladakh is no longer a part of J&K, this may be the final time the J&K Assembly honors its members.
