National Conference (NC) leader Omar Abdullah on Wednesday slammed the Centre for inviting foreign diplomats to observe the ongoing assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, asserting that the polls were an internal matter of India and did not require validation from external entities.
“I don’t understand why foreigners should be asked to check our elections,” Abdullah told reporters in Srinagar. “When foreign governments comment, India says ‘this is an internal matter,’ and now they want foreign observers to come and look at our elections. This ‘guided tour’ is not a good thing.”
Voting is currently underway for 26 seats across six districts in the second phase of Jammu and Kashmir’s assembly elections. A delegation of 16 diplomats from New Delhi-based missions arrived in the Union Territory at the invitation of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to observe the electoral process.
Abdullah emphasized that the elections in Jammu and Kashmir were entirely India’s concern, stating, “We do not need their certificate.” He also criticized the Centre for seeking credit for the people’s participation in the elections, calling it a “betrayal of the people here.”
The NC vice president argued that voter participation was despite the Centre’s actions. “The people are not voting because they are happy with the government of India. It is despite everything that has been done to humiliate, detain, and harass them,” he added.
Abdullah also questioned the decision to invite foreign diplomats while barring foreign journalists from covering the elections. “No foreign journalist was allowed to report on the elections, but diplomats are given a guided tour like tourists. This is not a good sign,” he remarked.
Regarding the assembly elections, which are the first since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019 and after a decade-long hiatus, Abdullah expressed optimism about voter turnout. “We saw good participation in the first phase, and we expect a strong turnout in this second phase as well.”
Commenting on his own candidacy, as he is contesting from Ganderbal and Budgam, Abdullah acknowledged the importance of all election phases for the NC. “It is not just about me; it’s about the party. Every phase is equally crucial.”
When asked about People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti’s claims of bogus voting in Ganderbal and Budgam, Abdullah dismissed the allegations, saying the PDP had “seen the writing on the wall.” He suggested that the PDP’s frustration stemmed from Apni Party candidate Muntazir Mohiuddin’s decision to withdraw from the race in Budgam and support him.
On Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Jammu and Kashmir, Abdullah welcomed the move but emphasized that the Congress should focus more on the Jammu region. “Ultimately, what the Congress does in Jammu is more important than what they do in Kashmir,” he said.