Jammu, April 28 : Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday said that the tragic loss of innocent lives in the recent Pahalgam terror attack is not the time to raise political demands such as the restoration of statehood.
Addressing a special session of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, an emotional Omar Abdullah questioned whether his politics was “so cheap” that he would use such a tragedy to push political demands.
“Today, when the entire country is mourning the loss of lives, it is not the moment for me to raise the issue of statehood,” Abdullah said. “My politics is not so cheap that I would seek statehood over the bodies of the deceased.”
Reflecting on the horror of the April 22 attack, where 26 people, including 25 tourists and one Kashmiri local, were killed at Baisaran meadow, the Chief Minister said he was at a loss for words to offer an apology to the grieving families.
“This incident has shaken the entire country. After 21 years, such a devastating attack has occurred at Baisaran. I, as the host, had a duty to ensure the safety of our guests — the tourists — and I failed. I have no words to apologise to the families of those who lost their loved ones,” he said, his voice laden with emotion as per news agency KINS.