J&K situation worse than government claims: Omar Abdullah

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday said that the situation in the Union Territory was worse than the government was claiming.

Addressing the media in Srinagar, Abdullah said that the government was trying to hide the real situation in J&K with lies. He pointed to the recent spate of killings of civilians and security personnel, as well as the ongoing CASO (cordon and search operations) in different parts of the UT, as evidence of the deteriorating security situation.

Abdullah also said that the government’s move to hold elections in J&K in the near future was a “farce” in view of the prevailing conditions. He said that the government should first admit that the situation in J&K was worse than 1996, when elections were held after a gap of several years.

“If they admit the situation is worse than that, then I will have no objections,” Abdullah said. “But if they say that the situation is peaceful, they should hold elections now. Why can’t assembly elections happen here?”

Abdullah’s comments come against the backdrop of the recent killing of two civilians in a grenade attack in Srinagar, as well as the killing of a police sub-inspector in a militant attack in Kulgam. The government has been maintaining that the security situation in J&K is improving, and that it is planning to hold elections in the UT in the near future.

However, Abdullah’s comments reflect the growing concern among many people in J&K about the deteriorating security situation. The UT has been witnessing a surge in violence in recent months, with militants targeting civilians and security personnel alike. The ongoing CASO operations have also been causing inconvenience to the people.

It remains to be seen whether the government will take Abdullah’s comments seriously and take steps to address the concerns of the people. However, his comments are a reminder that the situation in J&K is still far from being peaceful.