Appropriate action would be taken against Health Minister’s remarks: Omar Abdullah

NEW DELHI - Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said appropriate action would be initiated against Health and Horticulture Minister Sham Lal Sharma, who had recently stoked a controversy by saying that the region should be trifurcated for better development.

Abdullah said the investigation was under process and necessary action would be taken accordingly.

“Due notice has been taken of it at the appropriate quarters. Please allow them to examine not only the statement but also its context. After that, whatever has to be done will be done. I am sure that whatever action needs to follow after the statement, if anything is to be deemed necessary, it will be done,” said Abdullah on the sidelines of an event here.

Sharma had at a rally on Monday said that Kashmir be granted “Azadi”, Jammu should be made a separate state and Ladakh be given the Union Territory status.

He further said that the people of Jammu are being ignored and discriminated against since many years.

Sharma also alleged that the recent reports of the Finance Commission indicated regional discrimination and disparity in the findings.

Abdullah further condemned the recent burning of a school bus by stone-pelters in Srinagar.

“As I have already said, and I think everybody, every right-thinking person, whether a separatist or part of the mainstream has condemned this attack on that school bus. We believe that education above all else should be conflict-neutral. Children and schools should be kept out of any sort of agitational politics,” he said.

Protesters allegedly set ablaze a school bus at Khanyar in Srinagar during a partial shutdown on December 4.

The pick-drop bus of a private Tibetan Public School was stopped at Rangar stop in Srinagar’s Khanyar area by a group of protesters.

The protesters allegedly asked the driver, conductor and the lone child boarding the bus to disembark and later torched the bus. (ANI)