J-K Assembly turmoil: 'Fax Machine killed democracy', claims Omar Abdullah; Guv says letter would not have affected outcome
National Conference chief Omar Abdullah on Thursday said that his party will stand by People's Democratic Party if they choose to challenge Jammu and Kashmir's decision to overlook its claim to form the government and declares dissolution of the state assembly. Claiming that (faulty) fax machine killed the democracy, the NC chief said that it was not up to his party to challenge the decision as the letter was sent by the PDP.
Talking to media at a press conference in Jammu, Abdullah also slammed BJP leader Ram Madhav for suggesting that NC and PDP were acting on behest of 'foreign power'.
Watch Omar Abdullah's presser on Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Dissolution
Fax not an issue: Governor
In a parallel interaction with media, Governor Malik clarified that his decision did not depend on a fax machine.
"Fax is not an issue. Yesterday was Eid. Both of them are devoted Muslim and should know that offices are closed that day. Even my cook was on leave, let alone the person who handles fax. Even if I had received the fax, my stand would have been the same," he said, adding that the parties were free to challenge his decision in the court, as it is their right.
PDP free to go to court: Governor
"Why will they go to court? They were demanding this since five months. I want that they go to court, it's their right, they should go," he said. The governor also rejected the claim that he should have been aware about the attempt to form the government as Mehbooba Mufti had tweeted about it. Government are not formed on social media, he said.
Madhav vs Abdullah on social media
Madhav landed himself in a Twitter spat with National Conference chief Omar Abdullah after alleging that NC and People's Democratic Party were working on behest of 'foreign power'.
Remarking on the dissolution of Jammu and Kashmir Assembly by Governor Satya Pal Malik, despite claim to form the government by PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, Madhav claimed that PDP and NC boycotted local body polls last month because they had instructions from across the border. "Probably they had fresh instructions from across the border to form the government. What they did prompted Governor to look into the whole issue," news agency quoted him as saying.
The statement irked NC chief who took to Twitter to challenge the BJP leader to prove his allegations.
"I dare you @rammadhavbjp ji to prove your allegation. You have RAW, NIA & IB at your command (CBI too is your parrot) so have the guts to place evidence in the public domain. Either prove this or be man enough to apologise. Don’t practice shoot & scoot politics," former J&K CM said on social media.
Madhav, in his rebuttal, claimed that his remark was not against NC chief and that he should 'take it in stride'. "Just take it in your stride @OmarAbdullah Not questioning your patriotism at all. But d sudden love between NC n PDP n d hurry to form government leads to many suspicions n political comments. Not to offend u.," his tweet read.
"No, misplaced attempts at humour won’t work. You HAVE claimed my party has been acting at the behest of Pakistan. I dare you to prove it! Place the evidence of your allegation of NC boycott of ULB polls at Pak behest in public domain. It’s an open challenge to you & your Govt.," Omar Abdullah said in his reply.
Dissolution best option for J&K Assembly: Governor
Meanwhile, Governor Malik issued a statement reiterating that he dissolved the assembly because elections were the best option in the current political scenario in the state.
His statement to news agency ANI said: "I have been saying it since day one of my appointment as Governor that I am not in favour of any government being formed in the state with underhand defection and horse trading. I would instead want that elections are held and selected government rules the state."
"I have been receiving complaints for past 15 days of horse trading and that MLAs are being threatened. Mehbooba Ji herself complained that her MLAs are being threatened. The other party said there is planning of distribution of money. I couldn't have allowed this to happen," the J&K Governor added.
"These are the forces which did not want grassroot democracy but suddenly when they relaised that the situation was slipping out of their hands they formed an unholy alliance. I have not favoured anyone. What I have done is in the favour of Jammu and Kashmir," the governor told ANI.
Watch video: JK Governor clarifies his decision of dissolving the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly
