J&K wouldn’t have been in current situation had Vajpayee’s approach been adopted: Omar

Srinagar: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday said had the ruling BJP at the Centre adopted former prime minister A B Vajpayee’s approach, Jammu and Kashmir would not have been in the current situation.

Speaking during obituary references in J&K Legislative Assembly, Abdullah heaped praises on the former prime minister, saying Vajpayee “always tried to improve the situation in J&K”. When Vajpayee went to Pakistan in 1999 on the maiden Delhi-Lahore bus, he had visited Minar-e-Pakistan which “was not easy to do”, the chief minister said.

“Then he stood at the border and said we can change friends but not the neighbours. Vajpayee said dialogue was the only way out. He repeatedly extended hand of friendship despite facing setbacks,” Abdullah, the Leader of the House, added. “I have known him (Vajpayee) and worked with him as a minister in his council. When we remember

Vajpayee, we remember him with reference to J-K. He always tried to improve the situation in J-K, he tried to ease the tension,” he said.

“He worked to open the cross-LoC routes which were later closed again. He wanted to bring people across closer. He tried to bring the civil society closer. Today attempts are made to keep us apart,” Abdullah added. The chief minister said had Vajpayee’s approach been adopted, Jammu

and Kashmir would not have been “in the situation it is in”. “After he left, his approach was forgotten. The design he had given was forgotten. What can we do?” he said.