Omar should clear stand on border situation: Gujjar Mahasabha

Jammu, Oct 24: Voicing concern over ceasefire violations along the border, Bhartiya Gujjar Mahasabha today said that Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah should clear his stand on the issue.

"We demand from Chief Minister to make his stand clear on border firing upon which he had given two different statements-- one for taking a strong action against Pakistan and another saying war was no option", BGM President Eshfaq-ur-Rehman Poswal, said here today.

He questioned that what prompted Chief Minister to change his stand overnight after the arrival of Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde. "A day before Shinde's visit, talking tough, Omar had asserted that India cannot be at the 'receiving end' of unabated ceasefire violations by Pakistan and should 'respond in kind' if these persist," Poswal said.

After Shinde's visit, Omar yesterday in Tangdhar said no one in India was in favour of war with Pakistan. "No one in Jammu and Kashmir or in the country is in favour of war as the wars are no solution to any issue. The shelling by Pakistan on the villages in Jammu and other areas has made me seriously concerned about the life of people living in frontier areas," Omar said.

Reiterating his advocacy for peace and tranquillity between India and Pakistan, Omar has said wars have never solved any issue and these only bring destruction and miseries. He, however, said friendship requires equal response from both sides.

"The youth of the state and the people of the country want to know as to what is the stand of Chief Minister of the state regarding Pakistan", Poswal said, alleging Omar had given wavering statements on other issues in the recent past too.

PTI