Omar Abdullah dares ultras to attack him

He said the government would not remain a silent spectator to these attacks and would take all necessary measures to ensure the security of panches and sarpanches in vulnerable areas.

Omar,however,lamented that an impression was being created that the situation in the Valley had gone out of control and the panches and sarpanches were resigning day in and day out.

“So far,we have only received 50 resignation since the panchayat elections were held last year,” he said adding none of these resignations had been accepted so far.

Referring to the killing of three panchayat members this year,Omar said the state government would not allow the ultras to derail the strengthening of Panchayati Raj system in the state.

“I have convened a meeting on October one to discuss this issue. We have to increase the deployment of security forces or change the deployment pattern according to the threat perception,” he said.

Lashing out at separatists and militants,the Chief Minister said the “gun-wielding” people were acting against the interest of Jammu and Kashmir.

“The recent example of this is stopping of work on the Wullar project which only benefits the neighbouring country,” he said.

Omar said there would be attempts to derail the Panchayat process but the government was determined to foil all such designs.

The Chief Minister lamented that an impression is being created that government believes that issues have been resolved after the Panchayat elections.

“We have never said that successful holding of the Panchayat elections has resolved the Kashmir issue,” he said adding the Panchayats are meant for devolving power to the grass-root level.

Reacting to JKPCC chief Saif-ud-din Soz’s letter to him,Omar said such matters should not have been made public.

“The chairman of the coordination committee should not have made his letter to the Chief Minister public,” he said.

On the Congress demand for implementing 73rd and 74th amendments of the Constitution of India in the state,Omar categorically ruled out such a possiblity.

“The debate on amendments is unnecessary. We will give all the powers to Panchayat members to discharge their duties. We can amend our constitution for that but we do not need the 73rd and 74th amendments,” he said.

Responding to a question,the Chief Minister said there were no differences within the coalition government on the empowerment of Panchayats in the state.

“This (differences) cannot be farther from the truth. We are political parties with distinct political identities. Working in a coalition does not mean subsuming the identities.

“The National Conference believes in autonomy and pre-1953 position (for Jammu and Kashmir) while the Congress believes in 1975 Indira-Sheikh accord. That does not mean we cannot work together,” he said.

Omar said transferring the power to the Panchayats had not gone down well with a section of politicians,MLAs and bureacrats.

“Many MLAs and even two ministers from our coalition partner have come to me asking not to transfer block level powers to the Panchayats,” he said adding there was resistance to empowerment of Panchayats within the system also.

Asked if increasing the police deployment for security of Panchayat members would weaken his demand for revocation of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA),Omar said there was no connection between the two.

“We never said remove AFSPA from Sopore or Baramulla town (in north Kashmir). We want removal of the act from Srinagar and surrounding areas where the effects of militancy have reduced substantially,” he said.

On the Army’s claim that the number of militants have increased in the Valley,Omar said in that case,”the force needs to explain its work on the borders”.

“The problem is not in the hinterland. If the number of militants has increased,where have they come from. What were they (Army) doing at the borders?” he asked.

The Chief Minister said all the indicators pointed that the situation in the state was improving as there was fewer incidents of violence this year compared to last year.

Responding to suggestion of Soz that there can be reasons behind the killings of panchayat members other than militancy,Omar said “I have seen no evidence to support this.”

“If he (Soz) has any evidence,let him share it with the Home Department or police,” he said.

Omar said the investigations have shown that Hizbul Mujahideen and Lashker-e-Toiba militants were behind the killings.