Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday said the U.S. is guided solely by its own interests and described its friendship with other countries as conditional.
His comments came in response to US President Donald Trump hosting Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir for lunch at the White House.
Speaking to reporters at the Srinagar railway station upon returning from Jammu, Abdullah said, “The US President is a master of his own will. Can we tell him whom he should invite for meals and whom not? It is a separate issue that we used to think the US President was our very special friend and would respect our friendship. But obviously, America does what benefits it. They do not care for any other country.”
The chief minister had travelled to Jammu on the newly launched Vande Bharat train along with his father, former CM and National Conference president Farooq Abdullah.
Praising the new rail service, Abdullah said, “Had it not been good, why would I have returned by train again? The kind of rush and waiting list we're already seeing shows its success. We hope the train’s length and frequency are increased so more people can benefit.”
Addressing the ongoing war between Israel and Iran, Abdullah called for an immediate end to hostilities and advocated for dialogue. “This bombing should not have started. Earlier, American intelligence had said Iran couldn’t make a nuclear bomb for a long time. But still, Israel attacked within a few months. The attacks must stop, and the issue should be resolved through talks,” he said.
Abdullah also addressed concerns regarding Indian students stranded in Iran. “We cannot bring them back overnight, as airports and ports are closed. We are moving them first to cities where there is no bombing, and then through Armenia. Today alone, we expect 300–400 students to return, most of them from J&K,” he said.
Commenting on governance in Jammu and Kashmir, Abdullah said there was no ambiguity regarding power sharing with the Lieutenant Governor and urged the LG to approve the business rules passed by the cabinet.
“I have never said the LG has all the powers. You can check the J-K Reservation Act. Even the LG has said his responsibility is limited to security and law and order,” he noted.
“The LG must protect the people and ensure security. The rest of the responsibilities lie with the elected government. That’s why we want the business rules to be signed and returned so there is no confusion,” he added.
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