Stating that Jammu and Kashmir did not witness incidents like the recent Pahalgam and Delhi attacks when the National Conference (NC) was heading the government as a full-fledged state, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday said that law and order should be handed back to the elected government — and “taken away if we fail.”
Addressing a press conference after the conclusion of the NC Working Committee’s two-day meeting, Omar said the Union Government cannot deny elected representatives their rightful authority while simultaneously blaming them for security lapses.
“When we governed as a state, no Pahalgam attack happened, no Delhi attack happened. Give us law and order. If we cannot handle it, take it back,” he said.
On the power situation, Omar said the government wants people to receive good-quality electricity at lower prices.
He added that it is a proven fact that poor households pay less under metered billing compared to flat rates. For the government to fulfill its promise of 200 free units of electricity, he said metering must increase.
“Metering is still below 50%. Without meters, most households cannot benefit from the 200-unit scheme,” he said.
On the reservation issue, Omar said the cabinet subcommittee’s report is complete and will be taken up in the next cabinet meeting. He said the process was delayed to avoid complications during the election period.
“Elections are over, the code of conduct is over. The concerned minister will bring the memo in the next cabinet meeting,” he said.
Omar said he has sought time from daily wagers and reminded critics that no previous government had made real progress on their concerns.
Taking a swipe at the PDP, he said those accusing the NC of forgetting its manifesto should recall the “biggest betrayal” of 2014. “They asked for votes against the BJP and then joined hands with the BJP. We kept our promises, we kept the BJP out, brought resolutions to the assembly and cabinet, and are fulfilling people’s demands step by step,” he said.
He said his government is following the commitments made to the people and urged that its performance be judged at the end of its full term.
“We never ignored our promises. These are five-year commitments. Judge us when the term ends,” he added. (Agencies)
