Srinagar, May 23: A brief absence from the public eye by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has triggered a fresh political slugfest in Jammu and Kashmir, with the BJP questioning his whereabouts and National Conference leaders dismissing the criticism as political point-scoring.
The controversy began after Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma took a dig at the Chief Minister, claiming that people were unaware of his whereabouts at a time when they were grappling with everyday problems related to electricity and drinking water.
Speaking to reporters, Sharma sarcastically remarked that nobody seemed to know whether Omar Abdullah was in London or elsewhere abroad, joking that the BJP might have to lodge a missing report to trace him.
He alleged that while residents across Jammu and Kashmir continued to struggle with basic civic issues, the Chief Minister had remained absent from the public scene for several days.
The remarks quickly drew a response from senior National Conference leader Choudhary Mohammad Ramzan, who defended Omar Abdullah and accused the opposition of creating unnecessary controversy.
“Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is not missing. He is a human being and can go anywhere,” Ramzan said, asserting that the Chief Minister was under no obligation to respond to every political taunt made by his opponents.
Ramzan also used the occasion to attack the BJP, alleging that the party was attempting to divert attention from more pressing issues. Referring to recent demolition drives involving landless families, he described the action as a “heinous crime” and said the government would take an appropriate view once the inquiry report was completed.
Adding another layer to the political exchange, Srinagar Member of Parliament Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi responded with sarcasm of his own.
“If the BJP wants to file a missing report, they are free to do so. We too will find out where the Chief Minister is,” Ruhullah said while interacting with reporters.
The war of words has added to the increasingly sharp political rhetoric between the ruling National Conference and the opposition BJP, with both sides using the Chief Minister’s absence to score political points.
For many ordinary residents, however, the debate has become less about where Omar Abdullah is and more about whether pressing public concerns — ranging from electricity shortages to water supply issues — are receiving the attention they deserve.
So far, the Chief Minister’s office has not issued any statement in response to the opposition’s remarks, allowing the political sparring to continue and fueling further speculation over an issue that might otherwise have passed unnoticed.
