Dineshwar Sharma acting as 'super chief minister': Omar

Questioning the actions of the Centre's specialrepresentative on Kashmir, Dineshwar Sharma, former chief minister Omar Abdullah today claimed he was acting as a "super chiefminister".
Speaking in the Assembly, the opposition National Conference leader demanded that the government give a clarification on Sharma's mandate.
"What is the mission of the special representative? If heworks like a super chief minister, as we hear, by meeting delegations to look into the problems with regard to power, water, non-availability of doctors at hospital, unemployment issues. (But) It is your job," Omar said during the motion of thanks on governor's address.
"You (Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and Sharma) are treading on parallel tracks.... It is your responsibility and not Sharma's to set rightelectricity transformers, to improve water supply or giving joborders to unemployed youth.

"If he is a special representative, as was mentioned by thegovernor in his speech, his responsibility should be different," the former chief minister said.
Apparently referring toseparatist leaders, Omar said Sharma should meet "such people, who will facilitate resolution of the big issues. The minor issuescould be solved by you as well".

He said the appointment of Sharma by the Centre came several months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his IndependenceDay speech from Red Fort, said that bullets or abuses will notresolve the Kashmir issue and that it can be addressed byembracing every Kashmiri.
"After the prime minister's speech, we were hopeful of a newbeginning and we waited and waited. Then, suddenly, an announcementwas made about the nomination of Sharma but soon afterconfusion took over," he said,

Omar asked the government to clarify if Sharma was an interlocutor or aspecial representative or a spokesperson as different voices were coming from the governments at the centre and in the state on the issue.
"First we dont know what is the real status of Sharma. Yousaid he is a special representative, and in speeches and interviews he was given the status of interlocutor, but MoS inPMO (Jitendra Singh) said he is not an interlocutor but a spokesman," Omar said.
The former chief minister asked what was Sharma's "mandate and whatdo you want to achieve from his appointment".
Whether there is atime frame for his mission or it will go on indefinitely. "He has the mandate to talk to who all, MoS PMO says that the talks will be held within the frame work of Constitution while MoSHome says the talks wont be held with separatists.

"You are saying he will talk with everyone who is ready for talks butthe home minister says Sharma himself will decide with whom totalk," he said.
Sharma is not here on his own will, the NC leader said and wondered"how he would say he will talk to separatist leaders Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq or Yaseen Malik".
Omar said there should be clarity on his mandate.
The NC working president also asked the Centre to clarify whether Sharma is preparing a report and if it will be submitted to Parliament.
Omar cautioned th government that if the "past mistakes" are repeated, "the peoplewon't have much faith" in the exercise.

"Some are our mistakes, some we inherited. If you are not setting right the past mistakes or adding another chapter, then what is the fun," he said.