Nephew Omar's advice to Aunt Khalida! Step back

Syed Ali Safvi

JAMMU, Apr 2: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today advised his aunt and Awami National Conference (ANC) president, Begum Khalida Shah to give up her decision of contesting the ensuing Lok Sabha (LS) polls.

"As a politician I am happy to face her (Khalida), but as a nephew I would suggest her to step back," Omar said while addressing a press conference at Sher-i-Kashmir Bhawan here.

He said that in the assembly elections his cousin and ANC vice-president Muzaffar Shah had forfeited his deposit.

"I would suggest my aunt to look at the complete scenario and reconsider her decision," Omar said, adding that as a nephew he was concerned about her.

SECURITY ISSUES
Asked whether he has received any letter from Home Ministry asking him to take extra precautions during the Lok Sabha polls, Omar nodded in affirmation and said he is one of the recipients of Union Home Minister's letter on the nature of threat and security requirements.

He told media persons that security is being reviewed for protection of former chief ministers Farooq Abdullah and Gulam Nabi Azad, People's Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti.

The union home minister had on Wednesday written letters to political leaders across the country asking them to take extra precautions during the Lok Sabha polls as militants have reportedly prepared a list to target prominent figures. The letter asked the leaders not to conduct any surprise visits during the electioneering.

"We have intelligence reports of possible terrorist attacks during elections and VIP security has been put on high alert," Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Sriprakash Jaiswal had said.

According to the Home Ministry, the list of potential targets include Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi, BJP president Rajnath Singh, BJP's prime ministerial candidate LK Advani, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president Mayawati, AIADMK leader Jayalalithaa, Telugu Desam Party chief N Chandrababu Naidu, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy, J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah, and Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh.

If intelligence inputs are to be believed, a group of 20 people, including seven to eight trained pilots and at least a dozen women militants, have entered India to carry out attacks and hijackings.

"It does not worry or disturb me. The survival of a political worker is in mingling with the people and I am doing it," Omar said.

However, Omar, who already enjoys Z-plus category security, said that he will not enhance his security cover.

"I have lived with assassination bids and I believe the greatest protection is in the hands of Allah, the Almighty," he said.

VARUN GANDHI
Asked whether National Security Act (NSA) imposed on BJP's Lok Sabha (LS) candidate Varun Gandhi for his hate speech is justified or not, Omar said that Varun must face the 'weight of law' for his assertion. However, he maintained that a law other then NSA could have been invoked to deal with it.

"I do not believe that one hate speech can threaten India's national security," he said.
I am sure there are other rules and other laws that could have been used," he told a private news channel.

"If we weren't in the middle of an election season which tends to become a silly season, possibly this act (NSA) wouldn't have been used. I have a feeling that the use of NSA is perhaps more political than actually legally required," Abdullah said.

The National Conference leader said he did not expect such remarks from "somebody with that background, that education, having studied in the United Kingdowm, belonging to the family he does".

Omar said, "I know his party is supposed to have some influence on him but I didn't expect the influence to be that strong (given) the kind of words that he did (use)".

He said that what was "shocking" to him is that Varun is a member of the Gandhi family and a person who has seen much more than those belonging to his age group in the country.

"One would have expected him to have had a slightly more tolerant outlook to the whole thing'haath kaat denge' and all that. I found it particularly distasteful," he said.

INFILTRATIONS
Stating that there were many infiltration bids from across the border in the recent past, the chief minister - who also heads the Unified Command - said that the security scenario was being routinely reviewed.

Referring to the recent infiltration bids foiled by security forces in Gurez sector of Bandipora district and at Chowkibal Handwara in Kashmir last month, Omar said: "Attempts of infiltration were made, but we ensured they were not successful."

Asked about souring Indo-Pak relations, the chief minister said that resumption of talks between the two estranged neighbours are only possible after a new government takes charge at the Centre.

DIALOGUE
"Hopefully, Congress will again come to power at the Centre and a government headed by Manmohan Singh will then resume talks with Pakistan," he said. "We seek implementation of Pakistan's own commitments not to permit the use of its territory against India."

Omar said that Pakistan today had become a victim of its own policies and forces.
"Even big cities like Islamabad and Lahore are not safe," he said.

Referring to his talk's offer to separatists, Omar said that his government will discuss about it after LS elections are over.

"It is a political dialogue, and should be done at political level. We will discuss about it after LS elections," he said.

Asked when Farooq Abdullah had stepped aside to pave way for him (Omar) to become the next chief minister, it was stated that Farooq would focus on strengthening the party, but why Farooq prefers isolation when it comes to welcoming the once-disgruntled leaders of the party who had bid adieu to NC few years back and are now coming back into its fold, the chief minister said: "He (Farooq) was not keeping well and therefore was unable to travel to Jammu. We may be two individuals, but we are one unit. We do not take any decision in isolation."

Without naming Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti, Omar quoting her statement that only losers were joining NC, said that during PDP's tenure she (Mehbooba) took great pride when the 'losers' were joining her party.
"I am very glad to welcome senior party leaders who had left the party for one reason or another," he said. "It will strengthen the party, coalition, and the state."

....
Govind, Talib rejoin NC
Former Minister Govind Ram Sharma and former Member of Parliament Chowdhary Talib Hussain today re- joined National Conference (NC) in presence of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah at Sher-e-Kashmir Bhawan here.

Welcoming the leaders, Omar said that both the leaders were senior NC leaders who had worked with Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah and Farooq Abdullah.
"I am glad to welcome those leaders back into the party fold who had left the party for one reason or another," he said.

Dismissing the allegations of other political parties that only losing candidates were nominated to the State Legislative Council (LC), the chief minister said: "All those who have been nominated to LC are well qualified. Some of them are graduates and some are even post graduates."

Omar said that during PDP's regime even illiterate people were nominated to the Upper House.

Sharma was made health minister in 1996 thethen chief minister Farooq Abdullah, while Talib had won the Parliament election on NC ticket.

Sharma had later switched sides and joined BJP in 2002. In 2008 assembly elections, Sharma was seeking Congress ticket from Akhnoor, which the party denied him. He then contested on BJP ticket and lost to Congress.

Talib had left NC after the party denied him mandate in 2008 assembly elections. He then unsuccessfully contested from Rajouri as an independent candidate.