National Conference Vice President and former J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, responding to speculation about deferring assembly polls in J&K, emphasized that the government should not yield to terrorist pressure and delay the long-awaited assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir any further.


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Omar Abdullah stated, "The current situation is not as dire as it was in 1996. Our security forces, police, and other agencies are capable of handling and responding to terrorist attacks, as seen in Kathua. While the situation is not completely stable, it is not so volatile that we cannot hold assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir later this year."


Omar said, "We should have faith in our security forces, and if we want to give supremacy to terrorists, then don't conduct elections. Kashmir has faced worse situations, but it never affected the democratic process in Jammu and Kashmir."


Last year, the Supreme Court, during its judgment on the Article 370 case, directed the central government and the Election Commission of India (ECI) to conduct assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir by or before September 2024. Subsequently, both the Prime Minister and the Home Minister issued several statements affirming the timely conduct of these elections as mandated by the apex court.


However, over the past month, the Jammu region of the Union Territory has witnessed a series of terrorist attacks, leading to speculation about further postponement of the J&K assembly polls.


Regarding Indo-Pak relations, Omar Abdullah remarked, "I have consistently stated that the responsibility for improving relations between these two countries does not solely rest with us (India)."


Omar also emphasized the urgency of resolving the ongoing NEET exam issue, asserting that it concerns the future of our students. He stressed that there should be no delay in addressing this matter as a priority so that our children can breathe a sigh of relief.