Srinagar: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying he "failed" to do justice to the flood-affected people of the state as the Centre has not yet decided on the rehabilitation package submitted by the state government.
"The Prime Minister accuses National Conference (NC) of not doing enough during the floods. (But) he has failed to do justice to the flood-affected victims of Kashmir as the Centre was yet to take any call on the rehabilitation package that was proposed by the state government," Omar said addressing election rallies in Kokernag, Shangus and Dooru Assembly segments in south Kashmir.
The chief minister said, "The BJP government at the Centre discriminated against the flood victims in Kashmir and made them suffer so that their sufferings could be exploited for political dividends in the elections."
"Till today the BJP government in New Delhi has not taken a call on the relief and rehabilitation package and the Prime Minister comes to Srinagar and accuses my government of sleeping on the issue of the floods.
"Nothing could be more ironic. Mr Prime Minister, if my government was sleeping then why has your government and your political party decided to discriminate against Kashmiris so brazenly and blatantly while being awake?" Omar said.
The NC working president also questioned Opposition PDP patron Mufti Mohamamd Sayeed's "politicking" over the floods, saying the state government under his directions had kept a helicopter waiting for him at Srinagar Airport to bring him into the city and consult him on the response to the tragedy.
"However Mufti Sahab landed at the Airport on a flight from Delhi and took the same flight back to Jammu without bothering to take a peek at the devastation in Srinagar - let alone help by offering his services and ideas.
"Will the same Mufti Sahab give me sermons on how my government should have and shouldn't have dealt with the floods? First, let Mufti Sahab - who aspires to be the chief minister of the state - explain his complete absence from Kashmir during the devastating natural calamity," Omar said.
