Omar dares PDP to table self-rule in J

Srinagar, Nov 1 (UNI) The National Conference (NC) today dared the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), a ruling coalition partner in Jammu and Kashmir, to table a resolution on its self-rule proposal in the state Assembly.

''We are not bothered if the self-rule is being discussed in New Delhi or or Islamabad or New York. We want a discussion on the proposal in the state Assembly. If the PDP has the courage, it should bring a resolution in this regard in the Assembly,'' NC President Omar Abdullah told a news conference here.

He said there should be discussion and voting on the self-rule proposal in the Assembly. ''If the PDP wins with majority, we have absolutely no problem with that.'' The NC chief said former Chief Minister and PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed has gone to New York to ''sell'' his self-rule proposal. When the people of the state have not fully understood the self-rule proposal, there was no need to ''sell'' it in the United Nations or somewhere else, he added.

''We fail to understand that. But, this would give them an opportunity to celebrate and fool the people,'' Mr Abdullah said.

He said the self-rule formula has been taken out of the NC's autonomy document which was passed in the state Assembly in 2000.

''It is same as the NC's autonomy document. There is nothing new in the PDP's proposal. The party is losing the popular support and its policy of healing touch and peace with dignity has been exposed.

What the PDP has done regarding the self-rule during its three years of rule,'' the former Union Minister added.

He claimed had the autonomy resolution not been passed in the state Assembly, the PDP would never have come into existence.

''The PDP was born out of the NC's autonomy document. Within a month after the resolution was passed in the Assembly in 2000, the PDP was formed,'' Mr Abdullah said.

He said the PDP had just given the name of self-rule to the NC's autonomy proposal and referred to a couplet by Shakespeare...''What is in a name. A rose by any other name will still smell as sweet.'' Mr Abdullah said his party had no problem if the PDP ''sold'' the autonomy document as ''self-rule, self-governance or for that matter in the name of independence. ''We have no objections. It is one or the same thing...It is like same wine in same bottle but with a different label,'' he added.

''We are being accused of propagating the BJP's agenda in Jammu and Kashmir. We want to ask the PDP what has it done so far as its self-rule is concerned,'' the NC Chief added.

The NC leader said the self-rule formula would meet the same fate as the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service and the proposed truck service between divided Kashmir.

''Mr Sayeed had asserted that buses will run full...There will be trade through this route. But, we all know what is the real situation now,'' he added.

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