SRINAGAR: Breaking his silence on demands for separation of Jammu and Kashmir, chief minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday accused BJP MLAs of echoing Pakistan founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s two-nation theory.“Why are BJP legislators demanding a separate Jammu state? They do not have the interests of the people of Jammu in mind,” Omar said while addressing National Conference workers in Jammu.The CM mounted a sharp attack on leader of opposition Sunil Sharma, accusing him of pursuing his personal ambition to become chief minister. “…For that, he is using some people in Jammu and a few yes-men in Kashmir. They are promoting Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s two-nation theory that Hindus and Muslims cannot live together,” Omar said, adding: “Be straightforward. Why don’t you say ‘separate Hindu Jammu’?”Taking further potshots at the BJP leader, he said Sharma’s demand would limit him to being the CM of “two-and-half districts”, suggesting that the Muslim majority areas of Jammu — the Pir Panjal region comprising Rajouri and Poonch districts, and the Chenab Valley comprising Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban districts — would not support Jammu’s separation from Kashmir. “If you want to divide Jammu and Kashmir on the basis of religion, you will end up being chief minister of Kanak Mandi and Raghunath Bazaar,” Omar taunted, referring to two markets in Jammu city.He also targeted Mehbooba Mufti-led PDP, calling it an “old ally” of BJP. “They have now started talking about separate divisions for Rajouri-Poonch and the Chenab Valley. But remember, as long as the National Conference’s flag is flying in J&K, this conspiracy will not succeed,” the CM said. Mehbooba had on Monday demanded carving out separate divisions from Jammu to make governance accessible in hilly regions.Reacting to Omar’s jibes, Sharma said neither he nor BJP had made any official statement on further bifurcation of J&K. He also rejected claims that he desired to become CM, saying he came from a poor family and his only aim was to work for humanity and the nation. “In contrast, it is people in the Abdullah family who desire to be chief minister as they want to have protocol in place even when skiing, so that no one else should be around when he plays,” he retorted.A debate over the issue started earlier this month after BJP legislator Sham Lal Sharma pitched for a separate Jammu state, alleging discrimination against the region by “Kashmir-based rulers”. Several BJP legislators, including Vikram Randhawa, have since accused the CM of imposing “Kashmiri sentiment” on Jammu. Randhawa said Ladakhis sought separate UT because of Kashmiri dominance, and the same reason had spurred the calls for a separate Jammu state.
