Slams NC leaders for failure to honour Maharaja Hari Singh
JAMMU, Jul 14: BJP leader and MLA from Jammu East Constituency, Yudhvir Sethi, on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the National Conference (NC) government and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, accusing them of diverting public attention from governance failures by raising the issue of statehood.
Commenting on a recent National Conference rally in Jammu, Sethi described it as a “flop show,” claiming that the gathering failed to attract participation from Jammu and that most attendees had come from the Rajouri and Poonch districts.
Referring to the National Conference’s rally held near Maharaja Hari Singh Park, Sethi questioned why none of the party’s senior leaders from Jammu or Srinagar paid floral tributes to the statue of Maharaja Hari Singh despite holding the event nearby. He said such gestures reflect the party’s attitude towards the region’s historical legacy.
Sethi claimed that Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has become “worried” after receiving a Rs 100 crore legal notice, alleging that it has left him politically unsettled.
Sethi alleged that Omar Abdullah, apprehensive about the growing influence of National Conference Member of Parliament Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi and the reported dissent within the ruling coalition, has shifted his focus from Article 370 to the issue of statehood.
He claimed that several NC legislators have become disgruntled due to internal differences linked to Ruhullah. Sethi further said that the demand for restoration of statehood was being raised to divert attention from these internal challenges,
The BJP leader said the National Conference had shifted its focus from the issue of Article 370 to demanding restoration of statehood only because of changing political circumstances.
He asserted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already assured the people that Jammu and Kashmir will regain statehood at an appropriate time, and therefore there is no need for what he described as “politically motivated campaigns” on the issue.
Sethi alleged that the NC was seeking restoration of statehood only to regain political power and not for the welfare of the people.
“The people of Jammu and Kashmir are well aware of the intentions behind such campaigns. The demand is being raised for political interests rather than public interest,” he said.
Targeting the Omar Abdullah-led government, Sethi accused the National Conference of betraying the people through unfulfilled election promises. He alleged that commitments such as providing one lakh jobs to unemployed youth, free electricity, and several other welfare measures mentioned in the party’s election manifesto had remained unfulfilled.
The BJP MLA further alleged that the National Conference had no moral authority to lecture others on democracy. Referring to the 1989 Assembly elections, he accused the NC leadership of having damaged the democratic fabric of Jammu and Kashmir through alleged electoral rigging.
“Before trying to divert public attention, the Omar Abdullah government should first rectify the damage caused by the alleged rigging of the 1989 elections under Farooq Abdullah, which, according to us, contributed to the deterioration of the situation in Jammu and Kashmir,” Sethi said.
Sethi also asserted that the BJP is a party that believes in internal democracy and does not promote dynastic politics. He alleged that the National Conference should first work towards ending what he termed “dynastic politics and separatist thinking” instead of attempting to divert public attention from governance issues.
Reiterating the BJP’s commitment to development and good governance, Sethi said the party would continue to focus on fulfilling the aspirations of the people through infrastructure development, transparent governance, and public welfare while exposing what he described as the “failures and misleading politics” of the National Conference.