‘When they fail…’: Omar Abdullah defends Congress over Ladakh violence, blames BJP

Omar Abdullah

Defending the Congress party after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accused the grand old party of “rioting” in Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah said the saffron party has the habit of blaming others for its own failures. Activist Sonam Wangchuk, too, has come in support of the Congress, saying the party does not hold much influence in the region to mobilise them for a protest of this nature.

At least four people were killed and more than 80 others were injured in widespread clashes on Wednesday, September 24, as hundreds of protesters supporting the Ladakh statehood movement and extension of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution turned violent. The protesters also allegedly set a BJP office and several vehicles in Leh on fire.

Abdullah said the Lieutenant Governor-led Ladakh administration should see why it failed in the first place to take necessary measures to maintain peace.

Talking to reporters on the sidelines of his visit to the flood-affected villages in Reasi district, Abdullah said the Lieutenant Governor-led Ladakh administration should see why it failed in the first place to take necessary measures to maintain peace.

"Had the Congress been so powerful that it could cause riots in Ladakh, why didn't the party form the council [in October 2020]? Who won the last council elections in Ladakh? The BJP, while the Congress lost badly. When things go wrong, the BJP people always come up with excuses,” the Chief Minister said.

Responding to a related question, Abdullah said the violence in Leh was the result of the administration's failure. “When such things happen, it is the administration which is the first to fail. The administration should see why it failed. Blaming someone else will not not help,” Abdullah said.

The Chief Minister also said the situation in Ladakh was bad and it was very unfortunate that four lives were lost and many others injured. Abdullah also said that he would like to see a peaceful atmosphere prevailing in the region, along with brotherhood between Kargil and Leh. "They asked for a Union territory, and got it. Let them progress as much as they can under the UT,” he remarked.