Shah’s contribution query: Omar says list exhaustive; Mehbooba hits back with ‘no validation needed’ remark
To the Home Minister’s “Gupkar model gave Pulwama attack...Modi ji's model gave a Rs 2,000-crore hospital for Pulwama” comment, Omar hit back to remind Shah that the Pulwama attack happened under the BJP rule.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi with CM of Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti at a meeting in New Delhi. PTI Photo
Reacting to Home Minister Amit Shah questioning the contribution of “three families that ruled Kashmir for 70 years” to the development of J&K, former chief ministers Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti sought to know if the performance [of former CMs] was so dismal then why Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other senior leaders have been inviting the ‘Gupkar leaders’ for meetings to Delhi?
“We are grateful to @HMOIndia @AmitShah ji for challenging Dr Farooq Sb to account for @jknc_’s contribution to the development of J&K. As the list is rather exhaustive, please expect our response tomorrow,” Omar said while responding to the Home Minister’s speech, who used most of his 25-minute address at a public rally in Baramulla to target National Conference and People’s Democratic Party.
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In his address, Shah sought account of 70-year rule from the NC and the PDP. Shah said: “I have come here to ask you, Mehbooba ji and Farooq sahib, tell us how much investment has come to Kashmir in 70 years, how many industries have been set up, how many factories have been opened. (There has been investment) of only Rs 15,000 crore in 70 years. In three years, Modi ji brought an investment of Rs 56,000 crore.”
To the Home Minister’s “Gupkar model gave Pulwama attack…Modi ji’s model gave a Rs 2,000-crore hospital for Pulwama” comment, Omar hit back to remind Shah that the Pulwama attack happened under the BJP rule.
“@HMOIndia @AmitShah ji says ‘Gupkar model gave us Pulwama attack’. Just to remind everyone that Pulwama attack happened when J&K was under central (BJP) rule with their handpicked Satyapal Malik running the state from Raj Bhavan,” Omar said.
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said that her father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed doesn’t need validation from Home Minister for his welfare work. “Dedicating his speech to answer my questions, HM forgets that Mufti sahab was CM for just 3.5 years & doesn’t need validation from him for his work for welfare of J&K. Even after ruling J&K directly since 2018, BJP has nothing to show,” Mehbooba tweeted.
Bashaarat Masood is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express. He has been covering Jammu and Kashmir, especially the conflict-ridden Kashmir valley, for two decades. Bashaarat joined The Indian Express after completing his Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University in Kashmir. He has been writing on politics, conflict and development. Bashaarat was awarded with the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards in 2012 for his stories on the Pathribal fake encounter.
Expertise and Experience
Two Decades of Frontline Reporting: Bashaarat has spent 20 years documenting the evolution of Kashmir, from high-intensity conflict and political shifts to socio-economic development.
Award-Winning Investigative Journalism: He is a recipient of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award (2012). This honor was bestowed for his reporting on the Pathribal fake encounter, a series of stories that highlighted his ability to handle sensitive human rights and security issues with investigative rigor.
Specialized Beats: His authoritative coverage spans:
Political Transitions: Tracking the shift from statehood to Union Territory, electoral dynamics, and the pulse of local governance.
Security & Conflict: Providing nuanced reporting on counter-insurgency, civil liberties, and the impact of the conflict on the civilian population.
Development: Documenting the infrastructure, healthcare, and educational landscape within the Valley.
Academic Background: He holds a Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University of Kashmir, providing him with a localized academic and professional foundation that is rare in regional reporting. ... Read More
