NEW DELHI: Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday dismissed speculation about his closeness to the BJP, saying, “he is not the one who starts one game and ends up playing another.”
Speaking in the J-K Assembly, Abdullah said, “We are not those who start somewhere else and then end up playing another game. We have come to play cricket and with the blessings of almighty will be winners after our five years term.”
“The intelligent captain and player is the one who adapts to the situation and changes his tactics and not the game. I have not changed the game as I still wear the white cricketing uniform,” the J&K CM said.
“I was doing fast bowling because the Australian pitches support the pace but the BCCI pitches are meant for spin and now I am bowling spin deliveries. The purpose is that we emerge victorious,” he added, as treasury benches thumped their desks in approval.
While presenting the ‘demands for grants‘ in the Legislative Assembly, CM Abdullah expressed confidence in successfully completing his term while addressing the BJP’s repeated references to the August 2019 developments.
Beginning his hour-long address in Kashmiri, he said “the winter will be over, now snow will melt away and spring will return.”
Responding to opposition leader Sunil Sharma’s praise for PM Modi regarding Article 370‘s abrogation in 2019, Abdullah noted that whilst anticipating external changes, certain aspects within the House remain constant – including debates, disruptions and accusations.
“We are the ones who are not afraid of talking on any issue. Our track record says that we never escape a question and we are not the ones who demand questionnaires before an interview. We are not the ones who meet their favourites only. We are the ones who are always ready to face tough questions and give straight forward replies,” he said.
He also challenged the BJP to provide proof that his “party ever insulted the last Dogra king Maharaja Hari Singh.”
“When you do not have anything else to speak, they level this allegation. (BJP’s R S) Pathania accused us of insulting Maharaja. The fact is that it was they (BJP) which changed the map of his state and also the state subject laws which he had enacted to safeguard Jammu from Punjab investors,” the chief minister said.
Abdullah also expressed his displeasure at Sharma’s continuous interruptions by stating: “I do not have the habit of making a running commentary. I will do the same when you start speaking next time.”
“You are advising others to remain silent during your speech but what are you doing yourself? I heard the speeches of 50 members from both sides,” he added.
(With inputs from PTI)