Omar Abdullah

Bharat Jodo Yatra aimed at changing India's situation: Omar Abdullah

The Bharat Jodo Yatra's aim is not to "improve" Rahul Gandhi's image but to change the prevailing atmosphere of the country, National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said Friday as he joined the Congress' Kanyakumari to Kashmir march passing through here. The former chief minister, however, sidestepped questions on the Congress' stand on the revocation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, saying he does not want to delve into it. "We have joined this march not for the image of an individual but for the image of the country," Abdullah said. He claimed that Rahul Gandhi did not start the yatra for personal reasons but due to his concern over the "attempts of creating communal tensions and targeting minorities" in the country. "The Bharat Jodo Yatra is not aimed at improving the image of Rahul Gandhi but for improving the situation in the country," the National Conference (NC) leader told reporters upon his arrival in this highway town, 120 kilometres from Srinagar. "This ...

NC leader Omar Abdullah joins Congress' Bharat Jodo Yatra from Banihal

NC leader Omar Abdullah Friday joined the Bharat Jodo Yatra here, saying that the Rahul Gandhi-led march is not being carried out for the image makeover of the Congress leader, but rather to change the situation and atmosphere of the country. The former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir said he does not want to delve into Congress' stand on the revocation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. "The Bharat Jodo Yatra is not aimed at improving the image of Rahul Gandhi but for improving the situation in the country," the National Conference (NC) leader told reporters upon his arrival in this highway town, 120 kilometres from Srinagar. Abdullah said he joined the yatra as he was more concerned about the image of the country. "We have not joined this for the image of an individual but for the image of the county," he said. The NC leader further said Gandhi did not start the yatra for personal reasons but due to his concern over the attempts to create communal tensions and targe

NC will not beg Centre for polls in JK, will be ready whenever held: Omar

National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah Wednesday said his party will not beg the Centre for assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. Speaking to reporters after a party function in Pahalgam, in south Kashmir's Anantnag district, he said the delay in the polls does not worry his party. The BJP is "scared" and lacks the courage to conduct the polls in the Union territory, he added. "We will see to it whenever elections take place. But I have been saying this, we will not beg for these elections," Abdullah said. The former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said the NC would be ready whenever the Centre decides to conduct polls in the Union territory. The party is ready, but "we will not beg for it", he said. "BJP members are scared, they do not have the courage to conduct the elections. Let them find the courage, plunge into the fray and then we will see where people stand," Abdullah added. Asserting that the party's public meetings were not a signal to its workers that the

Will repeal PSA when NC govt comes to power in J-K, says Omar Abdullah

Former chief minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday said the National Conference government will repeal controversial Public Safety Act (PSA) on the first day if his party came to power in Jammu and Kashmir. The Public Safety Act was first enacted by the J-K government headed by National Conference founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah in 1978 to curb timber smuggling. The law, which provides for detention of up to two years without trial, was used against terrorists and separatists after the eruption of terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir in 1990. They (Centre) have only kept those (old) laws here which can be used to harass the people. There is no (Public) Safety Act anywhere in the country... it is only in Jammu and Kashmir. I have said it earlier and I repeat when National Conference government comes, on the first day, this law will be repealed, Omar told party workers at Dooru in Anantnag district. While the Centre did away with a large number of laws passed by the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly,

They can't stop China in Ladakh, but won't let me in Kargil: Omar Abdullah

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah has claimed that authorities in Union Territory of Ladakh tried to dissuade him from visiting Kargil. "They told me not come here. There (Eastern Ladakh) China has come in, you could not stop them, you could not send them back. We are only going from Srinagar to Kargil via Drass. We were not here to occupy the town," Omar told a gathering of his supporters in Drass on Monday. The National Conference leader alleged he was denied the permission to use a public address system and the Day Bungalow facility in Drass. "I have been a chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir for six years, but I fail to understand certain decisions made by them. At best, I would have only used the Dak Bungalow to freshen up," he added. Abdullah said the government had no confidence in its own decisions. "In August 2019, they separated you (Ladakh) from Jammu and Kashmir. If that was your heartfelt demand, why are they scared of allowing us in?" he asked. Hitting out at

Political opponents aren't enemies: Omar on Twitter video of J&K BJP chief

Political opponents are not enemies and politics is not about division and hatred, National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah said on Friday. His remarks were in response to a video posted on Twitter wherein a netizen hinted at some backdoor understanding between the National Conference (NC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). In the video, Jammu and Kashmir BJP chief Ravinder Raina describes Abdullah as a "gem" among top political leaders in the Union territory. "As I became a member of the assembly when Omar was also there, we saw that as an individual, as a person, Omar Abdullah is a gem among the top political leaders in Jammu and Kashmir... so we are friends as well," Raina said. He added that Abdullah was also the first person to call him when he was suffering from coronavirus. Responding to the tweet, the NC leader said politicians do not have to hate each other personally while disagreeing politically. "Why is politics all about division & hatred? Where does it s

NC will continue fight for restoration of Article 370: Omar Abdullah

National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah on Saturday said his party will continue fighting "democratically, constitutionally and politically" for restoration of Article 370, which was abrogated by the Centre three years ago. The former chief minister said he believes the NC, which has filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the decision announced by the Centre on August 5, 2019, has a strong case. "We are not on the roads or misleading the public or taking the law in our hands for restoration of Article 370. We will continue our fight democratically, constitutionally and politically and it is our right. "I am not among those who will give up (on Article 370)... we have faith in the Supreme Court but our only request is that at least it should listen to us. We believe that our case is strong," Abdullah said. He said he would have felt uneasy had the Supreme Court acted swiftly on a batch of petitions related to the issue, considering that the government of India wa

CJI Ramana retired without constituting bench for Article 370 pleas: Omar

Two days after Chief Justice of India N V Ramana retired, National Conference (NC) vice president Omar Abdullah on Sunday alleged he "very conveniently kicked into the long grass" the petitions against the nullification of Article 370, which accorded special status to Jammu and Kashmir. Abdullah shared a news report on Twitter about CJI Ramana's comments in April this year that the Supreme Court would hear the petitions after the summer vacation, and said, "And then he retired without ever constituting the bench. He very conveniently kicked it into the long grass." "Some people wonder why faith in these institutions gets eroded. Perhaps it has something to do with the way serious issues are handled," the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister added. The Centre on August 5, 2019 abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution -- which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir -- and bifurcated the state into Union territories. Several mainstream parties, including Abdullah's NC, challenge

Govt should take steps to improve situation in J-K: Omar Abdullah

The NC leader visited the shrine of Baba Nizamudin Larvi Naqshbandi at Baba Nagri area of the central Kashmir district on the occasion of the annual Urs

Atmosphere of fear in J&K, no one certain about their future: Omar Abdullah

Abdullah said the government should be asked how the situation has come to a point where militancy has made a comeback in areas declared terror-free years ago.

J-K people want early elections to install govt of their choice: Abdullah

Former chief minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday said that people of Jammu and Kashmir are "fed up" of the current administration and want early elections to form the government of their choice. However, the decision about the polls will be taken by the Election Commission of India (ECI), Abdullah told reporters in reply to a question whether the election will be held soon in view of the fact that delimitation commission report has been submitted. "The decision to hold elections in Jammu and Kashmir will not be done by us. Holding elections in J&K will be decided by the election commission. When will they hold elections -- under which circumstances and how - the decision is to be made by them (ECI)," he said The National Conference leader said people want elections to install government of their choice to resolve their difficulties and problems. "I will say that people of Jammu and Kashmir want that elections should be held as soon as possible. They are fed up of current ...

No improvement in J&K's security after Article 370 abrogation: NC chief

National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said there has been no improvement in the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir following the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A.

Omar Abdullah concerned over 'dangerous game' of polarisation in country

NC vice president Omar Abdullah on Saturday expressed concern over the "dangerous game" of polarisation "being played" in India and claimed that even his party is being looked at with suspicion

Ajay Devgn's Hindi comment centre of political debate: Bommai, Omar step in

What started off as a Twitter exchange between Devgn and Kannada actor Kichcha Sudeep on Wednesday took a political turn as Bommai joined his predecessors and political rivals

ED questions NC leader Omar Abdullah in 12-year-old J&K Bank case

The ED questioned NC leader Omar Abdullah on Thursday in connection with the purchase of a building by J&K Bank some 12 years ago when he was Jammu and Kashmir chief minister, a move the party termed a "political exercise" ahead of the Assembly elections in the union territory. After spending more than five hours at the ED office here in response to summons sent last week, Abdullah told reporters that he had not been accused of anything and that he had "answered them as much as I could". He would further help them "if they need me", he added. According to officials, the case pertains to the purchase of a building by the J&K Bank, in which the government has 68 per cent equity, at Bandra Kurla in 2010. A property measuring around 65,000 square feet was acquired at a cost of Rs 172 crores. Sources said the board of directors of the bank had set up a two-member committee headed by its chairman Haseeb Drabu which recommended the purchase of the property, in which another leading ..

'The Kashmir Files' far from truth, ignores Muslims, Sikhs: Omar Abdullah

'Today, there is a need to create an atmosphere where we could bring back all those who had left their homes and not create a communal divide,' he said

Omar Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti 'disappointed' over Karnataka HC's verdict

Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday called the Karnataka high court's decision upholding ban on entry of girls into government schools wearing hijab, "disappointing".

Stalin turns 69: PM Modi, Rajinikanth, Omar Abdullah extend birthday wishes

Earlier, Stalin paid tributes to late Dravidian stalwarts E V Ramasamy Periar, C N Annadurai (DMK founder) and his father M Karunanidhi on his birthday

A never happened before move in independent India: Rahul on Article 370

Gandhi's comments came in response to National Conference leader Omar Abdullah speaking on the subject at the release of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin's autobiography in Chennai

Hatred for Muslims normalised in India: Omar Abdullah over 'hijab' row

He was commenting on a video that has surfaced on social media showing some men sporting saffron scarves heckling a woman in 'hijab' and raising slogans at a college in Karnataka