The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah said that peace in Kashmir remains as elusive as ever with the footprints of security personnel increasing and new security bunkers being constructed across Srinagar.While addressing a workers’ convention at the district headquarters of the party in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district he said, “Post abrogation of Article 370, we were told that peace will return to J&K. However, the situation on the ground completely belies that claim. In the last 24 hours, we witnessed an encounter in Rangreth, an ambush on J&K police personnel which resulted in the unfortunate killing of three policemen and injuries to scores.”He said that the incumbent administration has failed to give a sense of security to the people. “Let alone pulling up the projected dawn of development, employment extravaganza and investment, the GoI has failed to give a sense of security to our people,” he said.Praising party President Farooq Abdullah for uniting the mainstream political parties in Jammu and Kashmir, Omar said that NC is not running after power and that the PAGD alliance has been formed to keep those parties and individuals who are playing into the hands of BJP and RSS at bay.”The Centre has always tried to weaken the voices from Jammu and Kashmir. These people from Delhi never spared any tactics to weaken us. Mushrooming of some individual-based parties from every street of Kashmir is only aimed to divide our voice. The Centre has, time and again, tried to weaken our voice. We were divided and they succeeded in fulfilling their plot. Our voice weakened and they snatched from us our identity,” he said.He added, “Not even a brick has been moved. There has been no headway in developing more travel destinations, augmenting infrastructure and perking up public utility services. Every single project, be it a major or minor one, has been put into deep cold storage.”
