J&K House condemns attack on Abdullah; Minister Itoo questions silence of police, Home dept.

Jammu & Kashmir legislators, cutting across the political divide, on Saturday condemned the recent assassination attempt on ruling National Conference (NC) president Dr. Farooq Abdullah and demanded the investigation report to be made public. However, many legislators flagged the thinning of security cover and denial of safe residences to Opposition leaders in the Union Territory (UT).

“I thank the entire House for condemning the assassination attempt on Dr. Farooq Abdullah [at a wedding party on March 11 in Jammu]. The House needs to know how many were suspended for any security lapse. Not even a constable. The investigating agencies, the J&K Police and the Home department are silent over the issue,” J&K minister Sakina Itoo told the J&K assembly. 

Urging the Speaker to seek the investigation report and place it before the House, Ms. Itoo said, ”If Dr. Abdullah is not safe then no one is safe in J&K. It was Dr. Abdullah, a true well-wisher of India, who kept the Indian flag high in 1996, when people were leaving J&K. He chose to jump into the fire and faced many militant attacks. So, it’s important to know why this incident happened and such incidents should not take place in the future,” said Ms. Itoo, who lost her father in a militant attack in 1994.

Ms. Itoo made the statement on behalf of the J&K government in response to Opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) legislator Waheed ur Rehman Parra’s demand to jointly condemn the assassination attempt on Dr. Abdullah by a 63-year-old attacker from Jammu. “Dr. Abdullah is a respected figure for all. The House should acknowledge the security lapse and ensure necessary corrective measures to prevent such incidents in future,” said Mr. Parra.

However, the PDP legislator accused the Lieutenant Governor’s administration and the J&K government of failing to ensure security of Opposition leaders. “While we condemn the attack on Dr. Abdullah sahab, we have direct questions for Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. Why has he compromised the security of senior opposition leaders? The house of former CM Mehbooba ji was snatched and yet the CM has deliberately ignored her entitlement after elections,” said Mr. Parra.

Describing security cover to politicians in J&K as “insurance and non-negotiable”, Mr. Parra said, “It’s these 90 legislators in the House who are safeguarding the national cause and their security cannot be compromised. The CM must answer why Sajad Lone was served a notice to vacate house and the J&K Police must explain why Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief Tariq Hameed Karra’s security was downgraded,” said Mr. Parra.

Mr. Karra also highlighted the issue of downgrading the security of politicians. “Security lapses cannot be ignored, especially in a sensitive region like J&K. The government must ensure accountability and restore confidence. People’s safety and stability must come first, not be compromised under any circumstances,” said Mr. Karra.

J&K Peoples Conference legislator Sajad Lone said the governments in J&K “have been using security cover for political ends”. “I recommend a civilian award for the personnel who saved Dr. Abdullah. I and Ms. Itoo have faced it in the family. Whenever such assassination attempts are reported, it refreshes my wound. I was not provided security to join the funeral of my assassinated father,” said Mr. Lone, whose father Abdul Ghani Lone was assassinated in 2002 in Srinagar. 

Mr. Lone said there should be no compromise with the security of political leaders. “If one is not ideological aligned to you, should he be allowed to be killed? I wish Statehood is restored soon to address it,” Mr. Lone said. BJP legislator Yudvir Sethi also advocated a right to security cover for all politicians in J&K. 

Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather, terming the attack on Abdullah as “not an ordinary matter”, said, ”The entire House has spoken from the heart and there is no ambiguity in what members have expressed. The people expect accountability and transparency.”