Thaindian News

Jammu, Dec 15 (IANS) Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, usually known for his soft words for the separatists, Thursday lashed out at them, accusing them of indulging in “hooliganism, highhandedness and muscle power”.

His strong words followed the death of a shopkeeper in Nowhatta after he was severely beaten up by stone-pelters for refusing to shutter down his shop and succumbed to his injuries Wednesday.

Addressing his National Conference’s party workers convention at Doda town, about 175 km north east of Jammu, the chief minister said that the government will not tolerate “goondaism (hooliganism)” and attempts at disturbing peace by forcing people to shut down their establishments and hamper their earning opportunities.

He said his “endeavour would continue to seek peaceful and progressive Jammu and Kashmir through a positive political ideology”, but criticised the separatists for “forcing the people to adhere to their calendar of disturbance and lockouts, making them victims of hooliganism”.

“If you want to fight, you should fight politically and not by means of hooliganism, highhandedness and muscle power,” he told the separatists, adding that “lies cannot live long” and people cannot be hoodwinked by slogans and fear.

“One day, you have to apologise to the people for this sort of attitude,” he maintained and asked them to face political challenges “politically” and “fight the roadmap and framework put forth by our party for settlement of the Kashmir issue on the political turf”.

“There is no taker of violence and hatred and nobody can digest your stance that whatever you do is right and whatever others carry out is wrong,” he said in remarks aimed at the separatists.

“A peaceful and youthful person of Nowhatta is the latest victim of your outlook,” he said.

Omar expressed surprise over the attitude of those behind peace disturbances who issued date sheets for lockouts without uttering even a word against this heinous act of hooligans, who forced the people to obey their programmes or lose their lives.

“While we condemn all acts of human rights violation and misuse of power by anyone, it is unfortunate to observe that if such a kind of act had been committed by men in uniform, the cry raised by separatists would have been the loudest,” he added.