Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday said he would prefer to resign rather than join hands with the BJP to speed up the restoration of statehood for the Union Territory.
Speaking at an event in Achabal area of Anantnag district, Abdullah made it clear that he was not willing to make any political compromise for statehood.
"If you (people) are ready, then tell me, because I am not ready to make that trade. If it is needed to include the BJP in the government, then accept my resignation. Make any MLA here the chief minister and form the government with the BJP, I am not ready for that," he said.
Omar said had he included the BJP in the government, statehood might have been restored earlier.
"Should we have included the BJP in the government? There was a possibility that by including the BJP in the government, we could have got a gift. They would have granted the statehood to us sooner," he said.
Referring to the PDP-BJP alliance in 2015, Omar said even then a government could have been formed in J-K without the BJP.
" The Congress and National Conference (NC) were ready. The BJP could have been left out of the government. But the excuse of giving representation to the BJP was made," Omar, who is also the National Conference vice president, said.
He stressed that his government had given representation to Jammu without involving the BJP.
" We gave representation to Pir Panjal, to the lower areas of Jammu. Today, the deputy CM is from Jammu, without the BJP's inclusion," he said.
Omar added that he would continue to fight for the restoration of statehood, but only in a peaceful and democratic way.
"How much blood of youth you want to see being spilled? I am not ready for that. We will fight but democratically and peacefully. We will achieve our rights within the scope of the constitution and law, but I am not ready to bring destruction to the homes of the people here," he said.
About the current crisis in Ladakh, he pointed out how the situation had changed since August 5, 2019. He said people in Ladakh celebrated the decision then, but today they are demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule status.
"People in Ladakh are now saying what happened with them was wrong. The people of Kargil never accepted that decision, but see how the situation changed in Leh. Those people who celebrated August 5, 2019 decision are today protesting against those," he said.
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