Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi on completing 25 years in public life at the state and national levels. He said sustaining electoral victories for 25 years was no small achievement.
Speaking to reporters during a major sporting event in the Kashmir Valley, Abdullah acknowledged the significance of Modi's political journey and said repeated electoral victories showed that voters had continued to support him. "You must have done something good that people are voting for you repeatedly. Winning elections continuously for 25 years is no small thing, first at the state level and then at the Centre. I congratulate him on behalf of myself and my colleagues," Abdullah said.
What did Omar say on the CEC issue?
Abdullah also spoke about the ongoing public protests and political controversy surrounding the Chief Election Commissioner. He questioned the Centre's claim that reports by investigative journalists making allegations were baseless and fabricated. "If this is fabricated, why has the government not taken legal action against those who made these claims public?" Abdullah asked.
He said it appeared that no defamation case had been filed against those who had made the allegations. According to Abdullah, the absence of legal action could naturally create doubts among the public about the government's position and raise questions over the accuracy of the reports.
What did Omar say on appointments of sportspersons?
Moving beyond national politics, the J&K Chief Minister also addressed regional issues, including sports development, civil service appointments and administrative changes.
On the appointment of sportspersons, Abdullah said appointment orders were being processed quickly after security clearances. He also stressed the need to develop infrastructure alongside the appointment of coaches.
"Earlier, coaches were appointed without basic infrastructure, leaving them with little to do. Now our priority is to develop facilities and appoint coaches simultaneously," he said.
Omar Abdullah on administrative reshuffle
On recent administrative changes involving Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Abdullah said some changes were made by his government while others were carried out by the LG.
"There are some changes in our governance system that we make and some that the LG makes. These transfers have been made after due consideration and we will work with the newly appointed officers," he said.
On the delay in notifying policy changes, Abdullah said final amendments were being made to address inconsistencies between the proposed draft rules and existing laws. He said the aim was to ensure that the framework would withstand legal scrutiny once officially notified.
Omar raises concerns over electoral fairness
Abdullah also expressed concerns over electoral fairness in Jammu and Kashmir and linked local issues to broader national trends.
Referring to earlier delimitation exercises, he alleged that changes had previously been made in a manner that benefited the ruling party. He also warned against attempts to prevent voters from exercising their franchise.
At the same time, Abdullah expressed hope that proceedings in the Supreme Court, particularly those concerning Form 6 voter registration, would protect citizens from being wrongly removed from the electoral rolls in Jammu and Kashmir.
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