Omar vows to keep fighting for revocation of AFSPA

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said he will not abandon his "mission" of getting AFSPA revoked from some areas of the state even though the "road was difficult to tread".

"I have been told that why do I talk on AFSPA if I could not remove it yet. I say that it does not matter if the road is difficult. My job is not only to tread an easy path, but difficult path as well. If I try to tread an easy path, then I do not have the blood of Sher-i-Kashmir (Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah) in my veins. I have his blood and the blood of Farooq Abdullah when I am ready to fight a difficult battle.

"And I know that it would not be easy to get success on AFSPA, but I am not ready to leave the fight because the road is difficult. I assure the people of Jammu and Kashmir that till the time I am in power and even after that, I will not leave this mission till I get the state rid of AFSPA," Omar said.

The chief minister was addressing a meeting after paying tributes to his grandfather and founder of National Conference Sheikh Abdullah near his Mausoleum in Hazratbal here.

Criticising opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Omar said he was not like those people who talk differently while in power and outside of it.

"I raised the voice against AFSPA. And I am not among those people who waited for leaving the chair and then raising their voice. The leaders of ink-pot party (PDP's symbol) are experts in those matters.

"When they are in power, they talk differently. That time they want that bullets be responded with bullets but when they leave the power, they say there should be talks, that AFSPA be revoked and Pakistani currency be brought here, and I don't know which other slogans they use to try to win people," he said.