‘Separate PM for JK’: Gambhir says Omar needs Pakpassport, ex-CM asks him to tweet about IPL

Srinagar: National Conference leader Omar Abdullah and BJP’s new recruit and former cricketer Gautam Gambhir sparred on Twitter over the former chief minister’s call for restoring a separate prime ministerial post for Jammu & Kashmir. A day after Gambhir said Abdullah required “sleep” or a “green Pakistani passport” more than a separate PM, Abdullah lashed out at the former cricketer for “displaying ignorance” on issues related to J&K and the role of National Conference in shaping the history of the state. “I never played much cricket because I knew I wasn’t very good at it. You don’t know very much about J&K, it’s history or the role of J&K National Conference in shaping that history. Yet you insist on displaying that ignorance for all to see. Stick to stuff you know about, tweet about the IPL,” Abdullah tweeted.
In reply, Gambhir, who joined the BJP on March 22 and is expected to contest the Lok Sabha elections from Delhi, said had Abdullah known about “selfless governance”, Kashmiris would have been well served. “Never mind your lack of cricketing prowess but Kashmiris and our country would have been well served if you knew a thing or two about selfless governance. By the way, history is always consistent but perspectives are subjective. Better clean your reading glasses,” he said. Addressing an election rally in Bandipore on Monday, Omar said that unlike other states, J&K acceded to India on certain conditions. “To keep our identity…we said we will have our own identity, our own constitution, and our own flag. At that time, we had also kept our own Sadar-e-Riyasat and the Prime Minister, which they removed. Inshallah, we will also get that back,” he had said. Mocking Abdullah’s remarks, Gambhir said if the former CM wanted a ‘separate PM for J&K’ then ‘I want to walk on oceans and pigs to fly’.
“Omar Abdullah wants a separate PM for J&K & I want to walk on oceans! Omar Abdullah wants a separate PM for J&K & I want pigs to fly! More than a separate PM, Omar Abdullah needs some sleep followed by a strong coffee! If he still doesn’t understand then a green Pakistani passport,” Gambhir tweeted. Abdullah’s remarks were also used by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attack the Congress. “They (NC) say that they will turn back the time to the years of 1953 and Kashmir will have a separate PM, Congress will have to answer as to what are the reasons that their allies are making such remarks,” the PM said at a rally in Telangana.