Even as CM, I said J&K has acceded not merged: Omar

National Conference's Working President Omar Abdullah on Sunday reiterated his stand that the state of Jammu and Kashmir has acceded to India, but not merged with it.

Addressing the largely-attended party delegates convention here, he said: "Even as the Chief Minister of the state, I have said that we have acceded to India and not merged with it. We cannot be compared to any other state of the country. We have our own flag and constitution and this is there because we decided to maintain our unique identity.

"If we are labelled as antinational for seeking the preservation and restoration of constitutional guarantees given to us, so be it."

Stressing he was attacked by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti for creating militant Burhan Wani, he said: "I accept my mistakes... those led to creation of Burhan Wani, but I ask Mufti to accept the responsibility for creating youths militants Zakir Musa and the likes of him.

"My biggest regret about losing power in the state is that the conditions under which we handed over power to the present dispensation in state are no longer there. There is widespread anger everywhere in the state today.

"We used to offer police jobs to the youth and today they are deserting the police force to join the militant ranks."

Abdullah said during the 2016 unrest, no National Conference leader had asked for Mehbooba Mufti's resignation, but when there was a similar unrest in 2010 when he was in power, Mehbooba Mufti and her father Mufti Mohammed Sayeed knocked at every door in New Delhi to seek his ouster.

He said the Central government must respect and restore the conditions on which the accession of Jammu and Kashmir to India is based.

"Promises made to the people of Jammu and Kashmir must be fulfilled. Centre should ensure that the conditions on which the accession of the state to the union of India is based should be restored and respected,” he said.

Omar Abdullah said the Central government must respect and restore the conditions on which the accession of Jammu and Kashmir to India is based.