Hope Dhankhar's successor will do justice in real sense to VP's chair: Omar

Omar Abdullah

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday wished Jagdeep Dhankhar, who resigned as Vice President on Monday, good health and expressed hope that his successor would do justice to the office.

"First of all, I hope for his better health and pray to God to keep the former vice president well and give him a long life. I think this is the first time perhaps that a vice president of the country has resigned in such a manner."

"Obviously, his health did not allow him to work further. We hope the next vice president will do justice in a real sense to the chair and the office," Abdullah told reporters at Safapora in Ganderbal district.

The chief minister visited Safapora to offer his condolences to the family of an assault and murder victim.

On the Congress party's protest in support of the demand for the restoration of statehood to J-K, the chief minister said the party did not consult his National Conference (NC).

"Let them talk to us first. We came to know about these through newspapers, no one talked to us. There was a meeting of the INDIA bloc some days back and had they mentioned this, why would we have taken a backseat when it is we who have taken it upon our shoulders? "We passed a resolution in the cabinet, we brought the resolution in the Assembly, but it is a separate thing that it was not discussed because of the situation," he said.

In a sarcastic dig, Abdullah said it is a good thing that the Congress party remembered to take out protests after such a long time.

"If they wanted our support in it, then they should talk to us, our colleagues will also participate in that," he added.

Abdullah said the government will provide all possible support to the victim's family.

"Police have taken action, a case has been registered and God willing, will be taken to conclusion. The promise of justice with the family will be kept and there is also a need to support them.

"Their elder son cannot walk because of spinal injury, they have sought some help from the government and we will make a case and do whatever is possible," he said.