SRINAGAR : National Conference Vice President and chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah today said that National conference would scrap the controversial Public Safety Act (PSA) if voted to power.
Omar Abdullah while addressing rally in Shopian district said “No mother will have to look for their children in jails if we are voted to power and for it this parliament election would serve as a semi-final”. He said that this election was being fought for the protection of the special identity of Jammu and Kashmir.
“Elections are generally contested for the development but this time we are fighting them for safeguarding Article 370 and 35 A,” said Abdullah.
He said that people would lose their land and employment if the special status of state was abrogated.
Earlier Omar Abdullah said cases registered against Jammu and Kashmir youth since 2015, after the PDP-BJP alliance came to power in the state, would be reviewed and the FIRs cancelled if his party is voted to power.
“There are cases against our youth under which they are called to police stations even today. The NC government will review each case, one by one, registered against our youth right since 2015 and especially of 2016 (unrest) and afterwards and cancel their FIRs so that our youth are set free,” he said.
Cases were registered against several youths in the valley during the unrest which followed after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in an encounter with security forces in Kokernag area of south Kashmir’s Anantnag district in July 2016.
“We want to attract our people towards us, we want such a situation here where we can talk to each other freely and address the problems of this state. I want to see that day when we would not need this (concertina) wire and rope when we come to see each other, when we would not need policemen or security,” the NC leader said.
“(I want to see) a day when if I make some mistake, you would come and hold my collar and ask me, ‘Omar, we had given you an opportunity to serve us and represent us but why didn’t you’. We want return of that Kashmir which has been snatched from us,” Abdullah said.
Abdullah also reiterated his promise of revoking the controversial Public Safety Act (PSA) in the state if his party returns to power.
“The NC has made a promise to the people of the state to remove PSA under which our youth are arrested. If God wills and NC forms the government, I promise you that we will remove this law. I am not saying that we will not use it, because if someone else comes after me, then he will use it,” he said. (PTK)
