Saturday 18th Jul, 2026
Will repeal PSA if NC elected with majority in Assembly polls: Omar
Srinagar, Jan 31: (UNI) Seeking strong mandate of people in the forth coming Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah on Thursday promised to repeal the controversial Public Safety Act (PSA) if his party wins with a majority.
He said repealing the act will go a long way in eradicating insecurity and disenchantment amongst people particularly youth. “My government in 2011 had mellowed down the PSA by bringing some amendments to it. However, this time I assure you all if NC comes to power on its own with a strong mandate, we will take no time to revoke the act completely,” Mr Abdullah said while addressing NC workers in south Kashmir district of Pulwama.
“I continued to pursue the revocation of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) throughout my stint as chief minister. I have not given up on the issue, and once in power will revive the effort of pursuing the matter with forthcoming central government,” he said.
Taking a dig at previous BJP-PDP government’s alleged under-performance and misrule, the NC Vice President said, “The BJP-PDP government wasn’t able to carry forward the momentum of good work initiated by my government. Instead the coalition bequeathed the state towards morass and destruction.”
He alleged that PDP president Mehbooba Mufti was shedding crocodile tears to capture the lost landscape of Kashmir. “During our stint in government from 2009-2014, we worked towards reconciliation and lessening the foot-print of security forces. However, what good was achieved during NC led Government was put into an abyss by the former BJP-PDP led government,” he said.
Mr Abdullah alleged that Ms Mehbooba’s supplication for releasing prisoners is too late an effort to move people. “People have seen it all with their eyes as to who opened the flood gates for all those forces as are contriving hard to destroy the state,” he said.
“Nowadays, Ms Mehbooba is pushing for the release of political prisoners and other political activists. Given the fact she was the one in whose tenure as chief minister, youth were hounded; crackdowns, and search operations were unleashed on people. No one can deny the fact that it was during her tenure that saw a steep rise among the young educated youth joining militancy,” he alleged.
“People still remember how bare facedly Ms Mehbooba had said that the guns of CRPF and other Para military forces ‘aren’t for mere display but action’. Now the same lady has the gumption to ask for release of prisoners in whose tenure they were arrested. It is the same Mehbooba Mufti who presided over scores of bindings, maiming and civilian killings during her tenure,” he further alleged.
He said people remember the way she allegedly mocked the pain and agony of people with her toffee and milk remarks.