No relation between Kashmir and Egypt: Omar

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday maintained that there is no relation between the situation in Kashmir and Egypt, which witnessed massive anti-Government protests and said people can always overthrow a government through democratic process.

He said his government was trying to "break" the continuous summer unrest in the Valley.

"I want to tell them that there is no relation between Kashmir and the situations in these countries (Egypt, Libya and Tunisia)," Omar said.

He said that some leaders in Kashmir are trying to equate the situation here with that of Egypt, Libya and Tunisia. "I am 4th Chief Minister in last nine years. We need not to come on streets to change the Governments," he said.

"We are doing it here with simple pressing of the button of voting machine. I have been elected for six years, my Government has completed two years and we are in process of completing the term," Omar said, addressing the Legislative Assembly.

"If people would not like us to be in power they will remove us peacefully by the process of democracy without throwing stones and resorting to unrest," he said.

He refuted allegations of Bandipora MLA that 250 persons are under arrest from Baramulla.

"Only 29 people are under arrest from this district and 20 of them have been detained under PSA. Similarly, in Bandipora only 10 persons have been detained of which, 8 are under PSA," he said.

"I have given categorical instructions to Law Enforcing Agencies to ensure that no violation of law takes place under any circumstance," he said.

On the summer unrest in the Valley for three consecutive years from 2008 to 2010, Omar Abdullah said that though there has been considerable reduction in militancy during these years, yet the disturbance of law and order showed upward trend.

"I have listed two important challenges to deal with firmly in the year 2011. The first is to break the continuous summer unrest in Valley and the second is to reduce the menace of corruption," he said and elaborated the measures taken in this regard.

On the issue of stopping BJP from unfurling tricolor at Lal Chowk, the Chief Minister said that it was the need of the hour to maintain peace in the state and not allow anti-peace elements to catch an opportunity for putting entire state on fire.

Omar said that the main opposition party in the state is surviving on circulating falsehood and indulging in double speaks.

He said the PDP on one hand this party says that it supports the resolution of Parliament about getting back the PoK from Pakistan and on the other hand in their Self-Rule document they recognize PoK as a separate entity and talk about good relations with it and exchange of currency.