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SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Tuesday said it was better late than never that Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha admitted intelligence failure for the Pahalgam attack, and called for fixing responsibility for the terror incident in which 26 persons were killed.
Abdullah was reacting to Sinha’s reported remarks in an interview with a leading daily that he takes full responsibility for the Pahalgam attack.
“After 80 days, it is better late than never. We did not say it (earlier) even knowing that such a big attack could not have taken place without (intelligence) failure,” Abdullah told reporters on the sidelines of an event here.
He said now that the failure has been acknowledged, responsibility should be fixed.
“He (Sinha) has perhaps said there was an intelligence failure. If that is so, then who is responsible for that? It cannot happen that 26 people lose their lives and there is no progress. When we accept there was an intelligence failure, then someone has to be held responsible for that,” he added.
On the Monday’s events in which police tried to stop leaders from paying tributes at the Naqshband Sahib graveyard to 22 people killed by the Dogra army on July 13, 1931 outside Srinagar’s central jail, he said it was unfortunate and should not have happened.
“This should not have happened. It was unfortunate because we were not breaking any law. The restrictions were for (July) 13 and not 14. It should not have happened,” he said.
He expressed gratitude to the political leaders including his counterparts from West Bengal and Tamil Nadu for showing support.
Earlier, while addressing a function at the Bones and Joints Hospital here, the chief minister said his politeness should not be construed as his weakness.
“Some people think that we are weak because we don’t indulge in threats and intimidation, but I want to tell them that we are not weak. Don’t mistake our politeness for weakness.
“We will not trade the dreams and aspirations of the people of J&K. We are not here due to someone’s favour. If anyone has done us a favour, it is the Almighty and the voters of J-K,” Abdullah said.
Abdullah inaugurated the new block of the hospital at Barzulla.
“Chief Minister inaugurated the new block of Bone & Joint Hospital, Barzulla, a significant step towards strengthening specialized healthcare infrastructure in J&K. The upgraded facilities will greatly enhance patient care and medical services in the region,” the CM said in a post on his official X handle.(Agencies)
