Jammu: Stepping into the second year in
office as Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah
on Tuesday said the Centre should initiate dialogue with political
parties in the state on the issue of autonomy.
He also feels that the quiet diplomacy launched by Union
Home Minister P Chidambaram by talking to separatists
including Hurriyat Conference would be sustained and would
find a lasting solution to Kashmir issue.
"Yes, I would like the Centre to initiate dialogue on the
recommendations of the Justice Sagir Ahmed Committee in which
he has said it is necessary for a sustained dialogue to find
the political map that will best suit the requirements of the
state. I think that something like it should be done," Omar
said while expressing satisfaction over his first year in
office.
To a question what would be his stand keeping in mind
the manifesto of his party National Conference demanding for
restoration of pre-1953 status of the state, he said "it?s not
for me as the Chief Minister to favour one solution as opposed
to others. I think what is important is that the dialogue
process take places and a solution be worked out.
"What the contours of that solution will be is for time
to show. As Chief Minister it would be wrong on my part to
suggest that one solution is better than another. My party has
a different line but that’s different," he said.
Asked about the demand by some of his ministers for
restoration of pre-1953 status, Omar was clear in his stand.
"I want the dialogue to be initiated. What course it will take
is for the times to see. What we need is to build a consensus
within all shades of opinion of the state."
Sitting in his office with well-wishers dropping by to
greet him on completion of one year in the government, the
39-year-old Omar feels that the recommendations made by the
Justice (retd) Sagir Ahmed working group set up by Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh which favoured autonomy for the state
needs to be given a serious thought.
Asked whether the initiative of talks with separatists
including Hurriyat Conference would sustain, an optimistic
Omar said, "I believe so because Home Minister (P Chidambaram)
has shown himself to be very serious and is leading the
dialogue himself from the front and I am hoping that the
process will not only be sustained but will find a lasting
solution."
To a question about his advocacy of talks with Pakistan,
which has a shaky political establishment at present, he said
"we can’t wait for things to stabilize there. The talks need
to begin at the right earnest with however strong or weak the
regime on that side of the border is."
Listing some of his achievements, Omar said "the high
points during last one year, I think, were the improvement in
the security environment, large number of tourists returning
to the valley, the gradual effort made to reduce foot print of
the security forces and the fact the Centre has once again
started talks on a political level, different section of
opinion from polity of Kashmir."
Omar still feels sad about the Shopian incident but
refuses to delve into the controversy saying the matter was
sub judice.
"Definitely without a doubt," was his reaction when asked
whether Shopian was the lowest point of his last one year.
Omar said that he has miles to go still before he feels
that he has done something for the people especially the youth
of the state who, according to him, even lack the basic
amenities enjoyed by others in the rest of the country.
When asked whether he has lived up to some of the
expectations of people, he says "I don’t think it is possible
for anybody to judge expectations and there realisation within
one year of forming a government.
"We have been elected for a period of six years, I think
its only fair that we wait for the term to conclude and let
people deliver their judgment then," he said.
Omar said he had to a lot for the youth of the state who
were lacking with basic amenities as enjoyed by youth in rest
of India. "I need to give them power, education facility,
roads, internet, employment...all this is still lacking in
several parts of the state. They need to have proper amenities
before I march with them into the 21st century."
And about the opposition party PDP, Omar refrained from
saying anything about the role being played by them in the
state. "Less said, the better it would be but I guess there?s
more scope left by them in playing a constructive role for upliftment of the people of the state."
PTI
