Says SC bars bulldozer actions, seeks long-term plan to tackle recurring weather disasters
Rehan Qayoom Mir
Srinagar, Jul 23 :
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday said demolishing houses linked to terrorists would neither end terrorism nor improve the security situation, warning that such measures and large-scale arrests could alienate people whose support is crucial in defeating terrorism.
He also urged the Centre to engage with protesting job aspirants and Ladakh activist Sonam Wangchuk.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a startup event at SKICC here, Omar, as reported by the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said he understood the anger within the police following the recent killing of a head constable in Anantnag, but maintained that actions such as demolishing houses were neither legally sustainable nor strategically effective.
“I understand the anger of the police, but there is a Supreme Court order that such actions should not be taken,” he said.
Referring to the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack, the Chief Minister said similar demolitions had taken place then but were stopped after he intervened with the Central government.
“We saw exactly the same situation after the Pahalgam attack, when some houses were bulldozed. I had to take up the matter with the Central government to stop the process. Later, investigations found that none of the local people was involved in that attack and all the attackers had come from outside,” he said.
He said demolishing houses or carrying out mass arrests would only aggravate the situation rather than improve it. “We will not be able to improve the situation by demolishing houses or arresting thousands of people. Instead, it will make the situation worse,” he said.
Abdullah said security forces alone cannot eliminate terrorism without the cooperation of the people.
“When I was heading the government and the police were under our command, we knew that this fight could not be won without public support. The police, Army and CRPF can achieve success to a certain extent, but the real victory comes when ordinary people stand up against terrorism,” he said.
The CM said people had strongly condemned both the Pahalgam attack and the recent killing of the police head constable, but cautioned against measures that could divert public anger.
“People are angry over the brutal killing of the policeman. But when thousands of people are arrested, or such actions are taken, that anger gets diverted. I hope we take our people along in this fight. Only then will we be successful,” he added.
On the ongoing protests by job aspirants over alleged recruitment irregularities, Omar said the Centre should engage with the youth instead of ignoring their concerns.
Referring to Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda’s remarks on examination paper leaks, he said investigations into previous recruitment scams were already underway.
“Yes, papers were leaked. Enquiries were conducted, and the matter is with the CBI. Many blacklisted companies were allowed to conduct recruitment, but I cannot comment on the investigation,” he said.
Welcoming Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks that the country’s youth are important, the Chief Minister said the statement should be followed by meaningful engagement with the protesters.
“It is a good thing that the Prime Minister has acknowledged the importance of the youth. They should now sit with them and discuss their concerns. Earlier, some people mocked the protests, saying only social media users were supporting them. Today, large parts of New Delhi are affected by these demonstrations. The anger among the youth has been ignored for too long,” he said.
Commenting on climate-related disasters, Omar said the government was closely monitoring the situation following heavy rains across Jammu and Kashmir.
He said the administration had feared a rise in river water levels, but the situation remained largely under control, although several areas had suffered losses.
“In Beerwah, around 37 shops were washed away after collapsing into the river. I have directed the Deputy Commissioner to ensure compensation is provided to the affected shopkeepers,” he said.
Abdullah said the increasing frequency of cloudbursts and extreme weather events demanded a long-term strategy.
“We cannot stop the rain, but we must prepare ourselves better. During my childhood, cloudbursts would occur once or twice a year, mostly in mountainous areas such as Pahalgam. Now they are being reported almost every month. We need a comprehensive plan to protect our infrastructure and minimise losses,” he said.
On Ladakh activist Sonam Wangchuk’s hunger strike, the CM welcomed reports that Wangchuk was willing to end the fast if there was no retaliatory action against protesters.
“This is a peaceful protest. If Sonam Wangchuk is ready to end his hunger strike, it is a good thing. There should be no retaliatory action against the children or the protesters. We should engage with them and listen to their demands,” he said.
Earlier, addressing the startup event, CM Abdullah said the government was committed to strengthening Jammu and Kashmir’s startup ecosystem through seed capital, incubators and mentoring initiatives, with the aim of doubling the number of startups by 2027 under the ASCEND programme—(KNO)