National Conference leader Omar Abdullah, on Monday, responded to the Supreme Court's request for party MP Mohammad Akbar Lone to submit an affidavit regarding his utterance of pro-Pakistan slogans in 2018 when he held the position of MLA in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly. He contended that the timing of the issue being raised, five years after the incident, is indicative of the central government's apprehensions regarding the ongoing Supreme Court proceedings concerning the revocation of Article 370.
Abdullah pondered, "Consider why a matter that unfolded in the Assembly in 2018 is now surfacing in the Supreme Court in 2023. The familiar phrase 'Aap chronology samajh lijiye (you understand the chronology)' comes to mind." He pointed out that the Speaker in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly when Akbar Lone voiced the slogans was affiliated with the BJP and questioned why no action was taken at that time.
"This incident transpired in 2018 when the BJP held the Speaker's position. Now, the BJP-led government is raising it as an issue. They ought to clarify what measures they pursued in 2018, even when the Speaker was a member of their party," remarked the former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir. He further highlighted that Akbar Lone has been serving as an MP for four years, yet this issue has not been brought up until now.
Akbar Lone is one of the petitioners contesting the revocation of Article 370, which conferred special status upon the former state of Jammu and Kashmir. The Supreme Court is currently reviewing these petitions.
The matter came to the forefront when Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre during the hearings, expressed the government's desire for Lone to issue an apology for chanting 'Pakistan zindabad' (long live Pakistan) in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly in 2018.
Omar Abdullah accused the central government of attempting to "distract attention" from the ongoing hearings. He asserted, "The current emphasis on this issue is driven by the government's apprehension. The court case is not progressing in their favor, and perhaps they feel that they did not provide adequate responses to the queries posed by the judges. Now, they are seeking to shift the focus."
He also delved into the ongoing discourse regarding the feasibility of holding simultaneous elections for the Lok Sabha and state assemblies. Omar Abdullah made it clear that he wouldn't endorse such a proposition "if its intention is to undermine regional parties." He stated, "We would support it if the intention is to streamline the electoral process."
He added a cautionary note, saying, "The concept of 'one nation, one election' should not transform into 'one nation, no election.'"
