Centre's handling of J&K situation in experimental manner pushed state several years back: Omar

The NDA government's handling of the situation in Jammu and Kashmir in an ad-hoc and experimental manner has pushed the state several years back, former chief minister Omar Abdullah claimed on Monday.

After a hectic political week, Omar feels the BJP is yet to answer many questions, including "why it entered an alliance with the PDP and why it withdrew all of a sudden?"
Commenting on the alliance of 'conflicting and contrasting' ideologies, Omar told PTI, "When the BJP and the PDP united, it was stated that the north pole and the south pole had come together and an 'Agenda of Alliance' had been stitched. Has any of the promises been fulfilled by them? Now see what has happened in Jammu and Kashmir... Look at the present political crisis in the state."
About the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), Omar said, "In 2011 or 2012, there was a talk about AFSPA's withdrawal from some areas, as peace had returned. But, can we say that today. The footprint of the Army and para-military forces has doubled from where we left in 2014, only because all types of experiments were carried out in Kashmir and all of them failed."
"But the question was about my workers, nearly 3,000 of them, who have been targeted by Pakistani terror groups only because they refuse to join an anti-India bandwagon. These people died because we held on to the flag of the nation as soldiers do with the only difference being that my colleagues had no weapons to defend themselves with."
To a question on a possible alliance with the Congress at a time when the National Conference has been favouring a single-party rule, Omar said, "Yes, I would wish to have a single party rule as there have been coalition governments since 2002. But having said that, let me make it clear that it's my opinion and I am yet to consult my senior party colleagues."