Hemani Kandhari
Srinagar, July 13: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday described the legal notice sent to him by the BJP as a “mark of respect,” saying it showed that he remained a political leader the party could not ignore.
Speaking to reporters at the National Conference (NC) headquarters in Srinagar, Omar said he had expected the BJP to respond politically to his remarks instead of taking the legal route.
“I consider it a mark of respect because it tells me that I am a political force they cannot ignore,” he said, adding that the BJP was choosing to “hide behind courts” instead of debating political issues.
Omar also announced that the National Conference would send legal notices to some BJP leaders over what he called false and defamatory statements made against the party and its leadership in recent months.
On the July 13 restrictions, the Chief Minister said preventing him and other NC leaders from visiting the Martyrs’ Graveyard exposed the gap between official claims of normalcy and the situation on the ground. He also questioned the security arrangements during the ongoing Amarnath Yatra, saying the closure of the National Highway reflected concerns over the security situation.
“I don’t remember a time when the National Highway had to be closed for the Amarnath Yatra. This year it has been closed so that yatris can travel safely. What does that tell you about the security situation? It shows how uncertain they are about the calm that prevails,” he said.
The NC is also waiting for permission from Delhi Police to hold its proposed protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.
Background
The BJP on Monday served a legal notice on Chief Minister Omar Abdullah over his allegation that a BJP office-bearer had offered Rs 20–30 crore to an NC MLA to switch sides.
The notice, issued by advocate Parimoksh Seth on behalf of BJP J&K President Sat Paul Sharma, called the allegations “false, malicious and baseless.” It asked Omar Abdullah to withdraw his remarks in writing and issue an unconditional public apology within seven days.
The notice also warned that if he failed to comply, the BJP would initiate civil and criminal defamation proceedings, including a Rs 100-crore defamation suit.
The exchange marks the latest escalation in the political tussle between the ruling National Conference and the BJP in Jammu and Kashmir. With the BJP demanding an apology and threatening a Rs 100-crore defamation suit, and the NC now planning legal action against BJP leaders, the political battle appears set to move from public platforms to the courtroom in the coming days. All eyes will now be on the response to the legal notice and the next course of action taken by both sides.
