SRINAGAR: On a day of dramatic developments, J & K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday tendered his “conditional” resignation following allegations in the Assembly by People’s Democratic Party leader Muzaffar Hussain Baig that he was involved in the 2006 sex scam.
After question hour, Mr. Baig spoke on human rights violations under Mr. Abdullah’s government and accused it of failing in protecting the people. Quoting from an unknown document, Mr. Baig alleged that Mr. Abdullah’s name figured at serial no. 102 in the sex scandal. He said it was this document which was produced in the J & K High Court, which was hearing the case. “But no investigation was carried against these high-ranking politicians,” he said, asking Mr. Abdullah to resign on moral grounds.
This sent shock waves and for a moment members were dumbfounded. Soon charges and counter-charges started to fly as National Conference and Congress legislators clashed with PDP members. Immediately, Mr. Abdullah himself stood up and announced that he was resigning.
“I know it is a false allegation. But I want to resign till I am cleared of this false allegation. I cannot work till I am proved innocent. It is a blot on my character. Any amount of investigation by the Home department will not help. Till I am able to prove my innocence, I am going to give my resignation to the Governor,” he said shortly before the House was adjourned.
The MLAs and Ministers physically restrained the Chief Minister from going out, telling him not to quit and that the party would not accept the resignation. The members virtually forced him to take his seat but he shouted at them: “Allow me to take this first step.”
Later Mr. Abdullah drove to the Raj Bhavan and submitted a letter to Governor N.N. Vohra.
Earlier, the proceedings in the House began on a fiery note. The PDP and BJP members were on their feet and wanted to raise certain issues, but Speaker Mohammed Akbar Lone refused to entertain them. He entered into a verbal fight with the PDP’s Mr. Baig and Moulvi Iftikhar Ansari. But Parliamentary Affairs Minister A.M. Sagar intervened and said the Opposition members should speak after question hour.
Speaking to journalists, Mr. Abdullah’s political adviser Devendar Singh Rana said he had resigned as Chief Minister. “He submitted his resignation to the Governor at 3 p.m. as serious, frivolous, fabricated, malicious and baseless allegations have been levelled against him.”
A Raj Bhavan spokesman said Mr. Abdullah called on the Governor and requested him to enquire, time-bound, into Mr. Baig’s allegations and to immediately accept his resignation if the Governor was satisfied that there was any basis therein.
The Governor was reported to have said he would consider the resignation only after being fully informed of the details of the allegation and being satisfied about the verified basis thereof.
The spokesman said Mr. Vohra asked Mr. Abdullah to continue to discharge his duties as Chief Minister until a final decision was taken.
The Raj Bhavan asked the Assembly Secretariat to send it certified copies of all relevant statements and documents on the allegation.
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