Omar Abdullah demands ‘separate prime minister and president for Jammu & Kashmir’, leaves Narendra Modi fuming

Arunima Bajaj Tuesday 2nd of April 2019 11:28 AM

(8) (3)

Narendra Modi (L) and Omar Abdullah (R)

New Delhi: During an election meeting, furious Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Monday, demanded Congress’s explanation over National Conference leader Omar Abdullah’s comment that “Jammu & Kashmir had bargained for a separate prime minister and president and hopefully they will have it.”

Addressing a public rally in Kashmir’s Bandipore, Abdullah had said that he wanted to see Jammu & Kashmir restore to the previous situation where the state had a separate prime minister and a president.

Attacking Abdullah’s statement, the prime minister, at a rally in Secunderabad, said, “He (Abdullah) says we will take the clock back and replicate the situation before 1953 and there will be two prime ministers in India, Kashmir will have its separate PM.” Then he attacked the Congress for its “ally” National Conference. Then he asked the leaders of the opposition parties whether if they want a separate PM and president for Kashmir.

National Conference wants 2 PMs, 1 in Kashmir & 1 for rest of India.

Does Mamata Didi agree?
Does U-Turn Babu agree?
Does Pawar Sahab agree?
Does former PM Deve Gowda Ji agree?

Shame on the Opposition!

Till Modi is there, no one can divide India! pic.twitter.com/hKVS0vgu2d
— Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 1, 2019

After Modi’s Comments, Abdullah tweeted that he was “humbled by the attention” the prime minister pays to his remarks.

I’m humbled by the attention PM Modi pays to my speeches & very grateful to the social media cell of the BJP for highlighting my speech today, especially by WhatsApp’ing it to journalists. Your reach is far greater than mine.
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) April 1, 2019

While the Bharatiya Janata Party wants the Constitution's Article 35A – which gives special rights and privileges to the people of Jammu and Kashmir – scrapped, political parties in Kashmir valley wants the article preserved.

Video of what Omar Abdullah had said: