SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said there has been no escalation from Jammu and Kashmir over the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), asserting that the people of the region have never had control over the treaty.
“The Indus Water Treaty has never been in the hands of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. From day one, we have opposed the treaty. We have always maintained that, for the people of Jammu and Kashmir, the Indus Water Treaty has been one of the biggest injustices committed by both India and Pakistan because we have no control over our own rivers,” Abdullah told reporters.
“So there has been no escalation from our side. The treaty has already been suspended, and threats of war are coming from across the border. I will not respond to those threats here—the Government of India has already given its response,” he said.
The Chief Minister also said the National Conference (NC) would invite all political parties, except those aligned with the NDA, to participate in the proposed protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on July 20 seeking the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.
“We have invited leaders of the INDIA bloc, as well as political parties in Jammu and Kashmir. Dr. Farooq Abdullah will send invitations to them. In addition, invitations will be sent to all INDIA bloc leaders and also to parties that are neither part of the INDIA bloc nor the NDA,” he said.
Abdullah said invitations would be sent to all political parties in Jammu and Kashmir, including those currently represented in the Assembly as well as parties that had been part of previous legislatures.
“The parties like the Aam Aadmi Party, Shiromani Akali Dal, Biju Janata Dal, parties from Telangana, Mr. Owaisi’s party, Mayawati’s party and several other leaders who are neither with the NDA nor the INDIA bloc, they will get letters from Dr. Farooq Abdullah and we hope they will support our protest on the 20th,” he added.
Referring to Tuesday’s meeting between the NC leadership and members of civil society at SKICC, Abdullah said it was not merely a meeting of delegations but a gathering representing the wider civil society.
“It was not a meeting of delegations; it was a meeting of the entire civil society. Around 170 representatives from different sections of civil society attended, including religious leaders, members of the trade community, retired bureaucrats, educationists and those associated with the tourism sector. It was a very productive meeting that lasted for nearly three hours,” he said.
He said the participants unanimously stressed that the restoration of statehood had already been delayed for too long and urged the Centre not to postpone it any further.
“Everyone unanimously stressed that the restoration of statehood has already been delayed for too long and that the Centre should not delay it any further. They also extended their support to our proposed programme in Delhi. A one-paragraph resolution was unanimously passed, calling upon the Union Government to restore full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir without any further delay,” Abdullah said.
Speaking about the annual Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra, Abdullah said the cap on the number of pilgrims had already been imposed by the Supreme Court and was binding on the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board.
“There is already a cap on the number of visitors, but we tend to forget that. The Supreme Court imposed this cap, and it is binding on the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board. It is a different matter if people try to undertake the pilgrimage without registration. How the Shrine Board deals with such cases is for the Board to decide. The cap on the number of pilgrims was imposed by the Supreme Court after a major accident, as you may recall,” he said.
On reports regarding the melting of the naturally formed ice Shivling inside the holy cave shrine, the Chief Minister said it was a natural phenomenon beyond human control.
“As far as the ice Shivling is concerned, it is formed by the Almighty. How many days it remains, or whether it remains at all, is not something I can decide,” he said.
“It is a natural formation created by God. Neither you nor I can decide how long it should remain. This year it has lasted six days,” he added.
Earlier in the day, Abdullah distributed appointment letters to candidates selected as lecturers through the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC). He, however, observed that recruitment now takes considerably longer than in the past due to extended verification procedures.
“I don’t remember the CID having such a major role in appointments during our time as it does now. Today, the CID takes even more time than the PSC in completing its verification process. That part is not in our hands. Even so, the appointment orders have been prepared and distributed today, and we hope these teachers will begin educating our children as soon as possible,” he said.
Responding to a question on the US-Iran conflict, Abdullah said he hoped the ceasefire would become permanent and peace would prevail.
“We have always wanted peace to be established. I have been saying that this war was an illegal attack on a country. The US President often gives different statements within an hour. We hope the ceasefire becomes permanent, war ends and peace is restored,” he said.
