July 14 incident a blow to democratic institutions, says Omar Abdullah

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah termed the manhandling incident on July 14 as "shameful", saying people behind this have done "democracy no favours" as such episodes deeply erode public faith in the electoral process.

Abdullah also spoke about his long-held view that the current dual model of governance in Jammu and Kashmir is "not an ideal form of government". 

 

"What happened on July 14 was shameful. It should never have happened," Abdullah told PTI while referring to an incident at the Martyrs' Graveyard where he and his party colleagues were allegedly manhandled by police.

Abdullah cautioned that the "implications and its ramifications will be felt long after" and said if "an elected head of government is being treated that way, imagine what that means for the regular citizens".

He voiced deep concern that the incident could lead to widespread disillusionment among voters. "Already I know for a fact that there are people who voted in the last two elections who are today asking themselves whether it was worth voting at all," he said. 

 

"It's not about me, it's not about the individual. It's about the office, it's about the institution, it's about the implications. And none of this bodes well for Jammu and Kashmir," Abdullah said  He also took a dig at the BJP, highlighting what he perceived as hypocrisy. He said that the BJP itself was part of a government that commemorated similar events between 2015 and 2018.

"At that time, why did they not say all this? Because they wanted the fruits of power. So what does that tell you about their commitment and their ideology?" he asked.

Responding to criticism from the BJP on the comparison of 1931 martyrs with those killed by Britishers at Jallianwala Bagh, Abdullah said, "I don't agree with anything the BJP says or does. And they don't agree with what I do. Which is fine. That's the difference in our politics."  Abdullah also spoke about the ongoing discussions between his government and the Lt Governor's administration aimed at resolving operational differences, particularly concerning the long-awaited "business rules" that would clearly delineate powers and responsibilities within the Union territory's governance structure.

He said that his government has not overstepped its boundaries under the J&K Reorganisation Act and has not sought to intrude into the LG's expressly defined domains.