Srinagar: Sheikh Mustafa Kamal, the uncle of chief minister Omar Abdullah has said, only a Muslim can become chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, because the Muslims are a majority in the state.
Speaking to a local daily Greater Kashmir, Sheikh Mustafa Kamal said, the constitution of Jammu and Kashmir guarantees that the head of the state must be from the majority.
He pointed out that not a single Muslim candidate has been elected on a BJP ticket to the assembly, and yet the BJP leaders are demanding that the CM should be from their party.
Sheikh Mustafa Kamal, who is additional general secretary of National Conference, did not point out under which provision of the state's constitution, a Hindu is debarred from becoming chief minister.
He merely said: "Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir guarantees that only a Muslim can become the chief minister here."
Asked if it meant that the demand for a Hindu CM was unconstitutional, Kamal said: “We can put it in this way that J and K is a Muslim majority state and the state's constitution clearly says that a person from a majority can become the head of the state.
He added that the constitution had declared this after thorough deliberations as the state had witnessed 500 years of foreign rule and 100 years of Dogra rule in the past.
“If it is written in the Constitution that only a Muslim can become the chief minister, the BJP must not grudge over it. They must give up their communal agenda,” NC's firebrand leader said.
Offering unconditional support to the PDP, Sheikh Mustafa Kamal said NC would not betray PDP and in no way would withdraw support, if the government is formed.
