Omar`s blog generates debate on N-deal

MATTER OF TRUST

How is the Indo-US nuclear agreement anti Muslim? is the question Omar Abdullah, whose party's two votes in the Lok Sabha tomorrow could be crucial for the fate of the UPA government, has posed to the netizens on his blog jknc.org/blog/, which has become a must-read for Kashmir watchers.

His comments posted on July 4 have apparently evoked a debate. He writes: "...I can't understand how it can be against any one religion. The US is no friend of the Muslim world is a point well taken but then what of Muslims working in American companies based in India or for that matter even based in the US itself.''

He specifically mentions the projects set up in Kashmir with US aid. What in case the US aid money comes for the earthquake victims in Kashmir? It may be recalled that the US aid had been pumped into the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in the wake of massive earthquake there in 2005.

Omar Abdullah, whose party has apparently decided to bail out the UPA government in Parliament on the deal, says: "While having questions about both the security and the economic aspects, I also recognise that any electricity generated will not exclude a particular religion nor will any jobs created as a result of the agreement be used to benefit only a particular community.''

The blog so far has received 25 comments, which is a fair response keeping in view the fact that the site had remained blocked for several days for some reasons.

The bloggers are both Muslims and non-Muslims. Some talk about how the Muslims' sentiments are sought to be exploited by leaders for their own end-games. Many of them have named BSP supremo Mayawati for raking up the issue of the nuclear deal being anti-Muslim.

Omar's comments have provoked angry comments too