Srinagar, Sep 29 (KNO): Stating that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had an opportunity to corner the government but it chose to stay away from the proceedings, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday said the ongoing assembly session has been “very fruitful” for the government.
Addressing reporters on the sidelines of a function here, CM Omar, as per the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said, “It has been very fruitful for us. I can't talk about the opposition. I can only talk about the treasury benches.”
“We were not expecting such a fruitful session. We were threatened before the session that the government will face a storm in the assembly and the opposition will corner us and they will do this and that,” he said.
The Chief Minister said the BJP had a good chance on the statehood bill and had asked the government for an answer on the record of the last two years. “They didn't take a share. And our statehood resolution was passed. Today, the important bills that I wanted to pass, especially on the ease of doing business and decriminalisation, were also passed,” he said.
The Chief Minister said Wednesday would be the last day of the session, with the report on the Jal Shakti Department scheduled to be discussed before the House proceedings conclude.
On the pensioners’ bill, he said that it had been passed, while their salaries had not been paid. “The pensioners’ bill was passed. But our salaries were not paid,” he said.
Referring to the demand for a salary hike, the Chief Minister said there had been pressure from different parties over the issue. “I didn’t have much interest in teaching. There was pressure from different parties,” he said.
Referring to a letter signed by BJP legislators seeking a salary hike, CM Omar said, “Look at that letter, which has the signatures of almost all the honourable members of the BJP, asking for a hike in their salaries. So, this is their habit. They want a salary and also want to do politics. I will not allow them to do that.”
ELECTION COMMISSION SHOULD DO SOME SOUL-SEARCHING
On the demand of resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, the Chief Minister said the Election Commission should review its functioning. “The Election Commission should do some soul-searching. It is not as if all the opposition parties are against the Election Commission. No political party has brought the evidence,” he said.
“The evidence has come forward through the investigation of the newspaper. Instead of trying to hide it, I think the Election Commission should improve its work. We should try to avoid such allegations,” he said.
Reacting to the BJP’s reported suggestion that Gyanesh Kumar should be given the Padma Bhushan, Omar said, “Why should he stay there? Give him Bharat Ratna. How many years will it take to get Bharat Ratna? One or two years for the election. Make him the President.”
INDIA-CHINA RELATIONS WERE NOT VISIBLE AFTER GALWAN CLASH
On External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s statement that India-China relations were better than during 2024-25, CM Omar said relations had not been visible after the Galwan clash. “People were being told to throw Chinese TVs from their balconies. Today, we are not only meeting each other, but also talking to each other. And this is how it should be,” he said.
He said the government had always maintained that better relations with neighbouring countries and other nations were in the country’s interest. “We have always said that the better our relations are with our neighbours and other countries, the better it is for us. If relations are good with a country like China, it is good for the country,” he said.
“But not only with China, there are many other countries with whom our relations are not good. In our neighbouring country, Bangladesh, there are many other countries,” he added—(KNO)