Taking a dig at NC leader Omar Abdullah for demanding the resignation of Haryana chief minister, Union minister Jitendra Singh on Saturday, sought to know whether the former J&K chief minister applied the same principle when the Valley was caught in a web of violence during his tenure.
"I think you (media) should remind him (Omar) whether he followed the same principle when he was a chief minister and violence was happening at large scale in the Valley," he told reporters at a function here.
Omar had yesterday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should sack Haryana CM M L Khattar for "gross dereliction of duty" in the wake of mounting toll in violence following the conviction of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh by a special CBI court in a rape case.
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In another tweet today, the National Conference working president said, "Could there be a more damning indictment of Khattar leadership (or lack of any for that matter) & that too from the Hon High Court?".
Reacting to Omar's statement, the Union minister said, "I have heard that one of the former chief ministers (Omar) is asking for resignation etc. So we should not be selective and politicking on an occasion like this".
On an NCC woman cadet from South Kashmir being recently trolled by Facebook users for asking the youths of the Valley to shun stone pelting and azadi campaigns, Singh said the young generation can no more be intimidated.
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"It is not possible anymore. Youths of Kashmir have come out to be part of India's mainstream journey towards development. It is not a coincidence that nine children qualified for the IITs, 20 for NIIT.
"For last few years, we have seen toppers from Kashmir Valley in the civil service exam. Last year, we had the second rank winner from militancy-infested area of Anantnag. This year, we had the tenth rank winner from the state. Their aim is to be part of the global journey of India," he said.
The senior BJP leader also hailed media to bring to the government's notice about a government-run primary school in a remote village of Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur district which has allegedly remained closed since August 15.
"Media has done a commendable role by bringing the issue to the public domain," he said.
Singh said the the Zonal Education Officer (ZEO) reached the spot and found that two teachers were absent from duty and action was initiated against them.
"Due to modernisation of schools, this year we have 100 students migrating from government to private schools which is an example of reverse migration.
"On the other hand, we upgraded government schools by providing them modern facilities, including Internet, computer and satellite facilities," he said.
The MoS was in the city to inaugurate a five-day exhibition on 'Sankalp Se Siddhi' based on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of building a 'New India' by freeing the country of garbage, poverty, corruption.
