SRINAGAR: Day after authorities disallowed the Shab-e-Qadr and Jumat-ul-Vida at the historic Jamia Masjid Srinagar, National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah Thursday said that the present situation in Kashmir was “far from normal”.
“If the claims of normalcy in the valley by government are true, why are Shab-e-Qadr and Jumat-ul-Vida prayers are barred at historic Jamia Masjid? Either it is an artificial normalcy or the one being portrayed by the government itself. The fact is that the situation is far from normal,” Omar said,” Omar told reporters at a press conference at NC headquarters Nawa-e-Subh complex.
Omar, who was flanked by NC General Secretary Ali Muhammad Sagar, NC provincial president Nasir Aslam Wani and NC leader Tanvir Sadiq, said that “linking tourist arrivals with normalcy won’t do”. “Tourism can’t be linked with normalcy. The government, if not by its words but by its action, is proving that the situation is too far from normal.”
Over the prevailing power crisis, Omar said the pesky power cuts during Sehri and Iftaar time “is either a deliberate attempt by the government or just its incompetence and it the government that can explain what it was”. He said power breakdown is also at its peak in Jammu region.
“Generation from our own power projects is at its peak during April but yet we have no power at Sehri and Iftaar time. We don’t know where from the power has to be arranged by government, but this power cuts should stop forthwith in view of the holy month of Ramadhan,” he said, adding that “All the previous regimes would always ensure that there are no power cuts during Sehri and Iftaar time, but the present regime has failed to do so.”
Omar said the people of J&K Kashmir “haven’t witnessed such irritating power cuts as being seen at present that too in the holy month of Ramadhan”.
