SRINAGAR: A day after police personnel allegedly manhandled J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah at the Martyrs’ Graveyard, the National Conference on Tuesday demanded an apology from L-G Manoj Sinha for the incident.
Senior NC leader and Deputy CM Surinder Choudhary said that whatever happened on Monday, the L-G is responsible for it, and he should apologise not only to the government but to the people.
“People have given a mandate to the Abdullah government, and he (L-G) should apologise to that mandate, the Constitution and the Indian democracy. He should apologise to the martyrs, who gave up their lives for the country’s freedom,” Choudhary said.
“Whatever happened yesterday, it should not have happened. It is unfortunate. There was no attempt from our side to violate law and order.” Omar Abdullah said, adding, “I want to tell that ‘Hamari sharafat ko hamari kamzori mat samajhiye’ (Our decency should not be mistaken for our weakness). We will not make any sellout with the aspirations and dreams of J&K people.”
Police officers allegedly mishandled Abdullah on Monday. He had to scale a boundary wall to enter the Martyrs’ Graveyard in Nowhatta area in downtown Srinagar to pay homage to the martyrs of July 13, 1931.
A day earlier, fis cabinet colleagues, legislators, and NC and opposition party leaders were placed under house arrest by the administration to bar them from visiting the site.
The CM said some people have misunderstood that “since we don’t talk loudly, don’t make threats, and don’t do hooliganism, we are weak.” He asserted: “We are not weak”.
‘Pahalgam security lapse must be acknowledged’
Omar Abdullah on Tuesday said somebody must to be held responsible for the security and intelligence failure leading to the Pahalgam terror attack. “After 80 days, the L-G has acknowledged there was a security lapse. Better late than never,” Omar remarked.