Jammu, March 20 — Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday criticized Leader of Opposition (LoP) Sunil Sharma for repeatedly using the term ‘Jihad’ in political discourse, urging legislators to refrain from making statements that could offend religious sentiments.
Reacting to Sharma’s accusation that the National Conference was waging a "legislative Jihad," Omar condemned the rhetoric.
On Thursday, LoP Sunil Sharma accused National Conference (NC) leader Omar Abdullah and his party of promoting "two-nation theory" and opposing the right of outsiders to buy land in Jammu and Kashmir.
"Legislative jihad is being used to protect land jihadis here...India is one, anybody from India can come here, if a person from Kashmir can buy land in Maharashtra, why can't a person from Maharashtra buy land in Kashmir?..." Sharma said.
“The LoP uses the word ‘Jihad’ in every statement… again and again. Then he becomes angry if some member talks about his religion,” he told reporters.
The Chief Minister stressed the need for responsible language in politics. “It is better that no such statement is made which hurts the religious sentiments of any community,” he said, warning against inflammatory remarks.
Questioning Sharma’s repeated use of ‘Jihad’ in a political context, Omar remarked, “What does the LoP want to prove? That Muslims don’t know anything except Jihad?”
On Sharma’s statement regarding providing land to outsiders in J&K, Omar dismissed it with sarcasm. “Let him settle them in his own home. Let him settle them in Paddar. I don’t have any objections,” he said.
The Chief Minister also expressed condolences over the death of former Gurez legislator Faqeer Khan, who died by suicide at his official residence in Srinagar.
Regarding the protest against the eviction order for 14 shops in Satwari, Omar said the Deputy Chief Minister had dispatched a team to address the issue.
“The people should not find themselves alienated. Their issues will be resolved. Everyone will be heard,” he said.