Omar wanted to use Bill against CM: Dar

“I have been made a scapegoat by everyone. The NC, the PDP and all. I could not have sold my conscience. I have sworn by the Constitution of J-K. How could I have betrayed it by putting the strength of the Upper House at 30. It was unconstitutional,’’ Abdul Rashid Dar, chairman of Legislative Council said in an exclusive telephone interview from Jammu.

Dar was expelled by NC chief Omar Abdullah on Friday for ‘‘sabotaging’’ the controversial J-K Permanent Resident (Disqualification) Bill, which on Thursday came up in the Upper House for voting. Omar has accused him of adjourning the House on Thursday without allowing members to vote. ‘‘Had I allowed that, the Bill would have fallen. Even if 15 members would have voted, we would never have been able to make it up to 24. The Congress and Panthers Party had opposed it.’’

‘‘I had to a adjourn the House because I knew the Bill would fall. I am a better Kashmiri than Omar saab,’’ he said. ‘‘I knew if I adjourn the House, the Bill will be alive.’’

Story continues below this ad

‘‘On the contrary, Omar saab was in favour of voting. He knew he would never get the majority…Why was he waiting in the council lobby for six hours. He wanted the Bill to fall and then derive political mileage to pressure the PDP-Congress regime,’’ Dar said.

‘‘Why did he not he issue the whip on March 6 when it first came up in the Council,’’ Dar asked.