Where Centre helps, will thank them: Omar Abdullah

Facing criticism from regional Opposition parties for praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday defended his remarks that the Centre has been liberal with funds for the Union Territory (UT). 

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“I have said this many times, even in the J&K Assembly. Where the Centre helps, I thank them. And where it’s wrong, I call it as it is. For example, on Statehood we are left only with complaints against the Centre. I cannot play politics to lie, to mislead or please anyone,” Mr. Abdullah said. 

Mr. Abdullah recently said that PM Modi has been liberal with funding for economically disadvantaged J&K. These remarks evoked sharp reactions from leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and J&K Peoples Conference, who accused Mr. Abdullah of trying to use pleasing language for the PM. 

“I can’t believe it. Isn’t it the same CM sahib who won an entire election by branding everybody as an agent of BJP. Those pejoratives he used. Even if a conciliatory line was intended, taking the knee could have been accomplished in a less humiliating manner,” J&K Peoples Conference leader Sajad Gani Lone said. 

Meanwhile, the J&K Chief Minister objected to replacing the Mahatma Gandhi-linked employment scheme with G. Ramji G. “Gandhi’s name should not have been removed. The new name reminds me of the movie name ‘G Mummy G’. Besides, J&K will bear the burden because the Bill has made many amendments that put extra burdens on regions like ours,” Mr. Abdullah said.