Jammu, Jun 20: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Friday asserted that the Cabinet Sub Committee (CSC) report on reservation was a legal document hence it required legal examination as per due process and it was being followed.
Following this set process, the Cabinet, after accepting this report, sent it to the Law Department for examination and comments.
After that the cabinet would deliberate the report again and then the next step would be taken, he said.
With regard to queries about next move vis-‡-vis J&K governmentís persisting demand for restoration of statehood, CM Omar said at the moment, the government was waiting for realisation of the Prime Ministerís promise.
The CM was responding to queries during an interaction with select-media after inaugurating ìRaabitaî ñ the CMís public service and outreach office in Jammu.
Confronted with queries on the hot topic of the CSC report on reservation, the CM used this occasion to hit back at political opponents by responding to their criticism in kind and measure.
ìWith what face, Peoples Democratic Party could say anything on reservationÖ When the PDP President Mehbooba Mufti had to fetch votes, she had in fact put a complete ban on her party members to speak anything related to reservation. Should I bring to the fore the record of those tweets put by Mehbooba Mufti and her party on her ëXí handle which said ëNobody in the party is authorised to speak on reservation?í Reason was ñ she was contesting (LS) election from Anantnag and she wanted votes from Rajouri-Poonch people,î CM Omar sharply reacted, when asked that PDP and Peoples Conference supremo Sajad Lone had described the act of J&K cabinet vis-‡-vis CSC report on reservation as a tactic to ìwaste timeî.
ìWhy did she not talk about reservation then? That time, she not only kept mum but she actually entered into a deal (on reservation). Today when her interest is served, she has suddenly started sympathising with the people on reservation. What should I say about Sajad Lone Sahib?î he questioned mockingly.
ìHe (Lone) was close to the government during the past five years when all this happened. We were out of the scene. We were ousted from government accommodations; our security was curtailed. He was comfortably living in the government accommodation,î CM Omar said, aiming barbs at Lone.
ìWhy did he not raise this issue then? See, if I had to waste time only. I would have extended the tenure of CSC for another six months. What you (opponents) could have done? Did you (opponents) have any method to pressurise me to complete this report in six months? How many committees in this country have submitted their reports in time. Most of the committees get extensions after extensions and reports keep on lingering for years. Probably this was the first committee, which met its deadline of six months and completed its report,î he said.
The CM asserted, ìFollowing it (submission), the Law Department has to examine the report. You cannot hijack this process. It (report) is a legal document. It requires a legal examination. Cabinet, after accepting this report, has sent it to the Law Department for examination and for its comments.î
When asked about inputs that the CSC was asked to ëreworkí to remove shortcomings to make it legally tenable, CM Omar said, ìThe report has come. We have taken the report. It has been sent to the Law Department for its comments. When we get it back with the Law Departmentís comments. The Cabinet will deliberate it again and then the next step will be taken.î
ON STATEHOOD
Will the J&K government move to the Supreme Court for restoration of statehood as its repeated demand has not borne any fruit so far?
The CMís answer was, ìWhat will be our next move to get statehood? Will we move to the Supreme Court? On that (SC) account weíll talk later. For the time being, we are hopeful that the (Central) Government will keep its word and fulfill the promise the Prime Minister has made to the people of J&K and reiterated in Sonamarg also and J&K will get its statehood back.î
With regard to a query about meeting peopleís expectations in the eight months of his tenure, the Chief Minister curtly replied, ìI will not go into eight monthsÖone yearÖor two years. People have given us a mandate for five years. Ask us this question after five years.î
He expressed hope that the cause behind the Ahmedabad air tragedy would come to the fore soon and such a tragedy should not recur.
