Srinagar, Aug 21: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday came out in support of Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, saying questioning the government and holding it accountable are the fundamental responsibilities of the Opposition.
Speaking to reporters in Srinagar, Abdullah said Gandhi was performing the role expected of an Opposition leader and should continue to raise issues before the government.
“Why would you have an Opposition leader if he does not oppose?” Abdullah said, responding to questions about criticism directed at Gandhi over his protests and political interventions.
The chief minister said political leaders were often judged differently depending on who was raising questions against the government.
“When the Leader of Opposition in Jammu and Kashmir raises questions repeatedly, nobody asks why he is doing so. But when Rahul Gandhi does the same, questions are raised about his conduct,” he said.
Abdullah said the Opposition had a constitutional and democratic role in ensuring that the government remained answerable to the people.
“Rahul Gandhi is doing what the country expects from him. His responsibility is to question the government and ensure that it remains accountable,” he said, adding that he wanted Gandhi to continue performing that role.
On comments by the Jammu and Kashmir Leader of Opposition on religious matters, Abdullah said politicians should exercise restraint and leave matters of faith to religious scholars and leaders.
“He is the Leader of the Opposition, not the leader of a religion,” Abdullah said.
He urged political leaders to avoid making statements on sensitive religious issues and cautioned against actions that could hurt public sentiments or deepen tensions.
“People should not play with people’s emotions,” he said.
The chief minister also spoke about the pressure on Kashmir’s green spaces amid construction and development.
Abdullah said development could not be stopped altogether as people needed homes and infrastructure, but emphasised that available land had to be used judiciously.
“We cannot ask people not to construct houses, but we can certainly ask them to use the minimum possible land,” he said.
Once land is lost to construction, he said, it cannot be restored easily, unlike resources such as electricity or water that can be generated or produced through infrastructure.
He called for a balance between development needs and environmental conservation, urging people to preserve green areas wherever possible while constructing homes.
On the reported death of a schoolgirl in Kishtwar in connection with a pregnancy-related case, Abdullah described the incident as deeply distressing and said he expected the authorities to complete their inquiry without delay.
“It is a very sad situation. We hope the administration and law-and-order authorities will act at the earliest and complete the investigation as soon as possible,” he said.
The chief minister said appropriate action should follow once the facts of the case are established.(KNS).
