Omar’s Facebook post on Srinagar airport evokes strong criticism

JAMMU: Chief minister Omar Abdullah’s post on Facebook on the international status of the Srinagar airport has evoked sharp response, with some people equating it with his performance and some suggesting immediate corrective measures.

Omar on Saturday evening posted on the social networking website that the Srinagar airport’s international status is on papers only.

The union cabinet in 2005 had decided to upgrade domestic Srinagar airport to international level. The building was earlier modified to facilitate operation of limited international Haj flights in February 1998. It had approved about Rs 60 crore for it then.

The post has evoked sharp and varied response.

“You want to create the disturbance in Kashmir by provoking the public,” posted Shiraz Khaki.

Omar had this week, in the presence of Prime Minister, criticised the BJP, saying the Article 370 would be revoked over their dead bodies.

Omar made this statement after senior BJP leader LK Advani had posted on his blog that Article 370 should be abrogated. Advani had hit back on Omar by saying that he should not use work like ‘cheating’ with regard to the BJP.

Though, statement of the CM didn’t generate much public debate as it was expected to be.

Commenting on this status of CM, Poonam Balla said: “It’s because of your corrupt government and officials who are busy in filling their own kitties rather than allocating resources to the airport and other infrastructure....”

Omar Abullah’s page on Facebook is liked by 20,000 people and is followed on twitter by about three-lakh people.

The official website of Srinagar airport has picture of CM travelling in an aircraft.

Last year about 13-lakh tourists had visited Kashmir. The issue of making airport operating on international standards with international flights arriving there has been raised by many leaders, including PCC chief Prof Saifuddin Soz.

However, some posts had questioned the timing of post by the CM, who was earlier a union minister, and is now on the seat for about five years.