WAJAHAT SHABIR
SRINAGAR: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday questioned the recent action against Rohingyas in Jammu and Kashmir, saying they were being “needlessly targeted”, while asserting that foreigners entering India without authorisation cannot be allowed to stay illegally.
Speaking to reporters, Omar drew a distinction between unauthorised Bangladeshi migrants and Rohingyas, saying the two issues should not be treated alike.
“Those who have entered from Bangladesh without authorisation are a different matter altogether. But the Rohingyas are being needlessly targeted,” he said.
Omar said Rohingyas had been given refuge after being expelled from their country and allowed to stay temporarily until conditions there improved. “Now, suddenly taking action against them seems a bit strange to me,” he said.
He maintained that the J&K Government had no jurisdiction over the matter as it fell under the Centre and that the police were also not under the control of the elected government.
“This falls under the Government of India, and they are taking the assistance of the police for this. The police are not under our control either. So, it is better that you ask this question to those who have command over the police,” he said.
On the INDIA bloc’s campaign over electoral rolls, Omar said the bloc had finalised a calendar of programmes at a recent meeting in Delhi, beginning with MPs marching to the Election Commission.
“This process will continue. We had been raising this issue repeatedly, but very few people paid attention. Now the media has also started speaking about it,” he said.
Omar welcomed the Supreme Court raising questions over deletions from voter lists during the Special Intensive Revision, but said it remained to be seen how far the issue would be addressed through the courts.
“It is good that the Supreme Court is also raising questions now, especially regarding the deletions that took place from the voter lists. The Supreme Court has also sought responses from the Election Commission and the Government of India. To what extent this will be rectified through the court, we will have to wait and see,” he said.
On the Uniform Civil Code, Omar reiterated that Jammu and Kashmir would not implement the UCC, arguing that a law of such significance should be debated and passed by Parliament rather than introduced separately by individual states.
“We will not implement the Uniform Civil Code here,” he said, arguing that the law could not genuinely be called “uniform” if it was not implemented across the country.
Omar said the Centre should bring the legislation before Parliament and allow it to be debated there. He alleged that the BJP was pursuing the measure state by state because it lacked the numbers in Parliament to pass a central law.
He also highlighted mobile connectivity gaps in parts of Jammu and Kashmir, saying access to government and banking services increasingly depended on mobile applications.
“On the one hand, we are talking about artificial intelligence, and on the other hand there are still some areas in Jammu and Kashmir where mobile phone connectivity is not available,” he said.
Omar said the Cabinet had decided to allot land to BSNL at locations without mobile signals to facilitate installation of towers and improve connectivity.
The Chief Minister also explained the Cabinet’s decision to provide utility ducts along roads to prevent repeated excavation. He said roads were often dug up successively by departments handling water, electricity and telecommunications.
“One department after another keeps digging up the roads,” Omar said, adding that installing ducts during road construction would allow cables and other utilities to be laid without repeatedly damaging the road surface.
He said the decision was aimed at preventing such repeated excavation and would now have to be implemented.
Meanwhile, he also reviewed the preparations for the third edition of the Kashmir Marathon, which is scheduled to be held on October 25 this year.
The event, which drew large participation last year, will have a dedicated category for athletes from Jammu and Kashmir to encourage and reward local runners.
“Chief Minister chaired a meeting to review preparations for the third edition of the Kashmir Marathon, scheduled for October 25,” Abdullah posted on his official X handle.
Abdullah said the event this year will feature full and half marathons, a three-day Marathon Expo and a total prize pool of Rs 3.17 crore.
“The event will also have a dedicated J&K Local category to encourage and reward local runners,” he added.
The chief minister directed the Tourism Department to ensure seamless inter-departmental coordination, comprehensive arrangements for runners and focused publicity to attract participants from across India and abroad.
He also directed the inclusion of an untimed fun run and virtual races in future editions to broaden participation.
Land approved for Mobile towers in remote, border areas
Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir government, headed by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, on Tuesday approved provision of land for installation of mobile towers in underserved areas across the Union territory, aimed at strengthening high-speed telecom connectivity in remote and border villages.
Under the initiative, land has been approved for installation of BSNL mobile towers in underserved areas of Uri, Tangmarg, Karnah, Kalakote, Kralpora, Basantgarh, Khour, Latti Marothi, Banihal, Pogal Paristan, Ramsoo and Qila Darhal under the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF).
Abdullah said the initiative would help extend reliable connectivity to remote and border communities and ensure that geographical location does not become a barrier to access to digital services and opportunities.
He said the infrastructure is being developed under the USOF to expand 4G network coverage and achieve telecom saturation in underserved areas.
The initiative is expected to strengthen access to online education, e-governance services and emergency communications, besides improving digital inclusion for residents of rural, remote and border areas, an official spokesperson said.
The provision of dedicated land for telecom infrastructure is also aimed at facilitating faster deployment of mobile towers in difficult and geographically challenging locations, thereby helping bridge the digital divide across Jammu and Kashmir, he said.
The initiative reflects the government’s focus on extending the benefits of digital connectivity to communities in far-flung areas and strengthening communication infrastructure across Jammu and Kashmir, he added.
