Omar Abdullah would have been asset in Parliament: Karan Singh
Srinagar, June 23
Veteran Congress leader Karan Singh on Saturday said Omar Abdullah made a “mistake” by contesting the Lok Sabha polls from Baramulla instead of Srinagar — a bastion of the National Conference that was won by its candidate Aga Ruhullah Mehdi.
Made a ‘mistake’
Omar moved from Srinagar to Baramulla. He should not have done that. He should have fought from Srinagar. It would have been useful if Omar would have been in Parliament. Karan Singh, former Congress leader
Omar Abdullah would have been an asset in Parliament had he won, Singh, 93, said as he termed as “dramatic” Engineer Rashid’s win from the Baramulla seat by more than two lakh votes despite he being in jail under provisions of the UAPA and contesting the polls as an Independent.
Karan Singh, the son of the last Dogra ruler of Kashmir Maharaja Hari Singh, said he was not sure if Sheikh Abdul Rashid, popularly known as ‘Engineer Rashid’, would be released from jail but his win has sent a message that the people are not happy with the BJP. “Omar made the same mistake that I did by moving from Udhampur (Lok Sabha seat) to Jammu. He moved from Srinagar to Baramulla. He should not have done that. He should have fought from Srinagar,” he said during an interview.
“We needed him in Parliament. It would have been useful if Omar would have been in Parliament. He would have been an asset,” Singh said.
On Awami Ittehad Party leader Rashid, Singh said, “He made his foray into politics very dramatically. I do not know whether he will be released but the fact that he won from jail is sending a message that people are not entirely happy with the existing party (the BJP at the Centre). Is it not?” Singh, who was the “Sadr-i-Riyasat” of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir from 1952 to 1965, also called for the restoration of statehood and conducting assembly elections in J-K.
“Today’s Jammu and Kashmir is totally different from that of the Maharaja’s. We had a very special position which has disappeared now. Not only that but now as a Union Territory, we are even junior to (states like) Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, which is really not acceptable,” Singh said.
“I would say one of the first things that is needed now is the restoration of statehood and elections. To elect for the Union Territory is like electing for a glorified municipal council. The Union Territory does not have any power,” he said.
Expressing concern over the spike in terror incidents in the Jammu region, Singh underlined the importance of thwarting nefarious designs of the enemies of the nation to create a communal divide.
“The biggest threat of course is terrorism and any kind of communal division within the state. That is to be avoided at all costs. My ancestors founded this state. Do not forget. It is a Dogra State. It did not exist before (first Dogra ruler) Maharaja Gulab Singh,” he said.
“It is a composite state; a mix of Gilgitis, Ladakhis, Kashmiris, Gujjars, Punjabi Muslims and Dogras. It has never been a single entity state and that must be maintained. More or less, I must say that in 100 years of Dogra rule, we were able to maintain harmony and peace in the state,” he added.
