Srinagar, Oct 07 (KNO): Alleging that the delimitation exercise was held to benefit Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said the proposed Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Jammu and Kashmir could be used to interfere with elections.
Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a function here, Chief Minister Omar, as per the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), said, “There is a possibility that the SIR could be used in J&K in a manner similar to what had happened during the delimitation exercise. We have already been victims of this game. We have not forgotten the delimitation.”
The Chief Minister said the purpose of the delimitation exercise was to “benefit” the BJP and expressed apprehension that a similar situation could arise during the SIR.
He, exuded hope that the proceedings underway in the Supreme Court, particularly concerning Form 6, would make it difficult to exclude people from the electoral rolls. “I hope it will be difficult for them to get people out of the voter list,” he said.
CEC PROTESTS PART OF INDIA BLOC PROGRAMME
On the protests related to the Chief Election Commissioner and the detention of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, the Chief Minister questioned the government’s failure to initiate defamation proceedings against The Indian Express if its reporting was fabricated.
“If this is all fabrication, then why don’t you take action against them? I have not seen any defamation against them. What The Indian Express has written is right. If it was not written, then the government would have taken action against them,” he said. “At least there would have been defamation,” he added.
CM Omar said the ongoing protests were part of the programme announced by INDIA bloc leaders following their recent meeting in Delhi. “This is the result of the INDIA bloc meeting that took place in Delhi the other day. And the calendar of the whole month was presented to the media. We are taking that forward,” he said.
CABINET EXPANSION LIKELY AFTER DELHI VISIT
On the expansion of his Council of Ministers, the Chief Minister said a decision would likely be taken after his return from Delhi and consultations with National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah.
He said the government would first complete the GST Council meeting in Delhi an would consult Dr Farooq Abdullah on the cabinet expansion.
On recent administrative changes, the Chief Minister said some transfers had been ordered by the elected government while others had been carried out by the Lieutenant Governor.
He said the government would work together with the officers who had been posted in various departments.
CONGRATULATES PM MODI ON 25 YEARS IN PUBLIC LIFE
On Prime Minister Narendra Modi completing 25 years in public life, the Chief Minister said it is not easy to win elections continuously for such a long period. “He has been standing here for 25 years. People must have voted again and again. It is not easy to win elections for 25 years in the government and then to come at the central level,” he said. “I would like to congratulate him on behalf of myself and my colleagues,” he added.
GMC RECRUITMENT RULES NEARING NOTIFICATION
Regarding the pending recruitment rules for Government Medical Colleges (GMCs), CM Omar said the rules were almost ready and were being given the final shape. “There were some contradictions in the rules that were made and proposed. Those contradictions are being removed,” he said.
He said the government did not want to rush the process and added that the contradictions and conflicts were being resolved. “The whole process is being done. All the contradictions and conflicts are being removed. I think it will be notified soon,” he said.
RA 30.35-CR SPORTS PACKAGE INAUGURATED AT GINDUN RAJBAGH
Earlier, the Chief Minister Omar inaugurated a Rs 30.35-crore package of sports infrastructure at the Sher-i-Kashmir Multi Sports Activity Centre (SKMSAC) at Gindun Rajbagh, marking an expansion of swimming and gymnastics facilities in Jammu and Kashmir.
The newly inaugurated facilities include a 50-metre by 25-metre, 10-lane Olympic-sized swimming pool, an all-weather heated training and toddler swimming pool, and a modern indoor gymnastics hall equipped with modern equipment.
Speaking on the occasion, he said the new facilities would provide young people with opportunities to take up sports beyond traditional disciplines and enable them to train throughout the year.
“Through this facility, we are trying to provide students with new sports milieu. For example, there is an Olympic-sized swimming pool in Kashmir for the first time. Now, there is an arrangement for heating, which will be done through solar energy so that children can practice and train here for 12 months a year,” he said.
He said the main swimming pool, constructed at a cost of rupees 19.96 crore, is 50 metres by 25 metres and has 10 competition lanes.
It is equipped with diving platforms at 1, 3 and 5 metres, modern filtration, circulation and disinfection systems, changing rooms, washrooms, storage lockers and spectator seating for 300 people.
The facility has been developed to support competitive swimming, diving and other aquatic sports.
The Rs 5.35-crore training and toddler swimming pool facility has been designed for year-round use. It includes a heating system, indoor lap pool, child-friendly toddler pool, anti-skid pool decking, modern filtration and disinfection systems, besides supporting changing and shower facilities.
The facility is intended to cater to athletes, students and the wider community, including winter training.
INDOOR GYMNASTICS HALL INAUGURATED
The rupees 5.04-crore gymnastics hall, spread over 36 metres by 21 metres with a 10-metre height, has been equipped with modern gymnastics equipment.
The facility is expected to provide a dedicated platform for gymnastics training and coaching in Kashmir, where the Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council has been conducting coaching camps and working towards developing a dedicated Gymnastics Academy.
Referring to the new gymnastics facility, the Chief Minister said there is considerable interest among children in Kashmir in taking up the sport, but the lack of dedicated infrastructure had limited opportunities.
“Generally, when we talk about gymnastics in Jammu and Kashmir, we only talk about Jammu. However, our children are interested in it and want to do it in Kashmir. But due to the lack of infrastructure, they could not do it,” he said.
“A magnificent indoor gymnastics hall was inaugurated today. In the same way, we will keep adding more sports so that we can give our children options and alternatives. And they can also develop an interest in new sports,” the Chief Minister added.
During the inauguration, Omar witnessed live swimming and gymnastics demonstrations by sportspersons and trainees at the newly developed facilities.
The new infrastructure is aimed at strengthening grassroots participation, widening access to professional coaching and creating better pathways for young athletes to progress to national and international competitions.
The all-weather aquatic facilities will also enable sustained training during the winter months.
Minister for Youth Services & Sports Satish Sharma, Advisor to the Chief Minister Nasir Aslam Wani, MLA Lal Chowk Sheikh Ahsan Ahmed, MLA Hazratbal Salman Sagar, MLA Zadibal Tanvir Sadiq, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Dheeraj Gupta, Secretary J&K Sports Council Tazayun Mukhtar Kawoosa, besides students, sportspersons and other concerned officers, were present on the occasion—(KNO)