J&K wouldn't have been in current situation had Vajpayee's approach been adopted, says Omar

Wajahat Shabir. Updated: 11/6/2024 3:24:42 AM Front Page

‘Would've bridged gaps with Rana had I known of his Illness"

Srinagar: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday said had the ruling BJP at the Centre adopted former prime minister A B Vajpayee's approach, Jammu and Kashmir would not have been in the current situation.
Speaking during obituary references in J-K Legislative Assembly, Abdullah heaped praises on the former prime minister, saying Vajpayee "always tried to improve the situation in J-K".
When Vajpayee went to Pakistan in 1999 on the maiden Delhi-Lahore bus, he had visited Minar-e-Pakistan which "was not easy to do", the chief minister said.
"Then he stood at the border and said we can change friends but not the neighbours. Vajpayee said dialogue was the only way out. He repeatedly extended hand of friendship despite facing setbacks," Abdullah, the Leader of the House, added.
"I have known him (Vajpayee) and worked with him as a minister in his council. When we remember Vajpayee, we remember him with reference to J-K. He always tried to improve the situation in J-K, he tried to ease the tension," he said.
"He worked to open the cross-LoC routes which were later closed again. He wanted to bring people across closer. He tried to bring the civil society closer. Today attempts are made to keep us apart," Abdullah added.
The chief minister said had Vajpayee's approach been adopted, Jammu and Kashmir would not have been "in the situation it is in".
"After he left, his approach was forgotten. The design he had given was forgotten. What can we do?" he said.
Referring to MLA Kulgam M Y Tarigami's remarks about the autonomy resolution brought by the then NC government in the assembly in 2000, Abdullah said while it is true that the resolution was sent back, but "Vajpayee realised it later that the government had reacted in a hurry".
"So, he appointed senior minister Arun Jaitley to hold talks with J-K government on it," the chief minister said, adding it would be difficult to disagree with Vajpayee's intentions on J-K.
The Leader of the House said the list for obituary references was huge which indicated "how long the gap was between our two sessions".
He said the last such session was held in 2018.
"57 personalities -- former president, former prime minister, former governor, ex-MLAs and ex-MLCs are in the list. This will perhaps be the last time we will be paying tributes to people from Ladakh as they are no more a part of us," he added.
Abdullah also said there were 45 people in the list with whom he has worked or were known to him, and went on to mention a few.
Paying tributes to Pranab Mukherjee, Abdullah said there was a lot to learn from the former president's life.
"Mukherjee did not have Godfathers and was not parachuted into politics. He worked hard," he said, adding that he did justice with all the posts he held.
The Leader of the House also paid tributes to former Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee and others, including his former colleague and BJP leader Devendra Singh Rana who passed away last week.
Speaking of Rana, he said, would have tried to bridge any remaining gaps in their relationship with the late Devender Raina if he’d known the latter was that ill.
Devender Singh Rana, a prominent BJP leader and MLA from Nagrota in Jammu & Kashmir, passed away on October 31, 2024. He died at a private hospital in Faridabad, Haryana, where he was undergoing treatment.
Omar Abdullah reflected on the late Devender Raina, a prominent figure in Jammu and Kashmir politics, with whom Omar had a long-standing and close working relationship. Omar acknowledges the many roles Raina undertook in his career—as MLA, and MLC—and how he fulfilled each of these responsibilities with dedication and distinction.
Omar mentions that he had the opportunity to work closely with Raina in various capacities. Over Omar’s 25–26 years in politics, he notes that Raina was a consistent presence with whom he shared a professional and personal bond.
He said Raina was entrusted with significant organizational responsibilities and leadership roles, and he committed to carrying them out.
Omar recalls that in 2002, when Raina joined him as an advisor, they worked together on several elections, and Raina’s efforts were integral to the party’s success. When Omar had to make ministerial changes, Raina was always supportive and willing to adapt, often shouldering the organization’s responsibilities.
Omar also recounted Raina’s commitment to learning, leadership, and humility. He gives the example of how Raina, despite being a prominent leader, would personally involve himself in tasks at the grassroots level. Whether it was ensuring that development projects ran smoothly or making sure the administrative work in various regions, like Himachal or Punjab, Raina was hands-on.
Omar reminisces about a time when Raina, despite his stature, would wash cars himself to understand the process, demonstrating humility and a willingness to learn.
Omar deeply regrets not having the chance to mend his relationship with Raina before he passed, noting that he was unaware of the severity of Raina’s illness. He expressed sorrow over not knowing sooner, as he would have tried to bridge any remaining gaps in their relationship if he’d known.


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