CM Abdullah refutes as ‘total lie’ PDP allegation about Urdu being dropped as official language in J&K

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, on Friday took the Opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) head-on for its allegation that the government had dropped Urdu as the official language and medium for revenue records and some revenue department exams.

Talking to the media here on Friday, Chief Minister Abdullah said, “This party (PDP) has nothing to say other than trying to sell lies. When did I order that Urdu should be dropped?

“Iltija Mufti is a young girl, but she is educated. What should we do to educate her more? Should we hold tuition classes for her.

“In her press conference against us, she showed the copy of an order asking for public response on the issue. As an elected government it is our duty to seek public response.”

“That was not an order dropping Urdu as the official language or as the medium of revenue records. I can give you the number and date of the letter seeking public response. Let them show the order through which we have dropped Urdu”, he challenged the PDP.

Chief Minister Abdullah said there was a proposal to drop Urdu and “that file is on my table. I have not approved it and nor am I going to approve it in the future”, he asserted.

Iltija Mufti held a press conference here two days ago. She showed a purported official letter to the media, claiming that this was the order issued by the Chief Minister Abdullah-headed government that had decided to drop Urdu as the official language medium of revenue records and also as a compulsory language paper for some exams in the revenue department.

Chief Minister Abdullah on Friday dismissed the allegation and also set at rest rumours that Urdu language was being given a step-motherly treatment by the J&K government.

The PDP has often been launching scathing attacks on the Omar Abdullah-headed government allegedly for taking ‘anti-people decisions’.

The PDP has criticised Chief Minister Abdullah for installation of electric meters to check pilferage of power. The PDP said Omar Abdullah had stated before coming to power that once in power he would throw the electric metres into the river. They also criticise the NC government for not providing free electricity to the Below Poverty Line electric consumers.

Chief Minister Abdullah has already said that Below Poverty Line families are entitled to 200 units of free electric power.