Omar Abdullah

The U.P.A. Government had a vote of confidence in Parliament yesterday. Omar gave a rousing and strong speech. Listen to it and watch at the same time M.P.'s popping money out of their bags. A lot of commotion all around..

Here is the transcript.

'I Am A Muslim And I Am An Indian...'
'I see no distinction between the two. I see no reason why I, as a Muslim, have to fear a deal between India and the United States of America (USA)...' The speech that stood out -- it was short, but it was straight from the heart, packing its punches for maximum impact


Omar Abdullah


I think that it is a matter of great misfortune for parties like mine...I do not know whether the Rs one crore that was shown here is genuine or not. But I think that it is extremely unfortunate that if nothing else this Rs one crore is seeking to buy the silence of parties like mine who are not being given an opportunity to speak in a correct manner in this House

I have been a Member of this House for 10 years, and I have never disturbed this House in these 10 years. I have sat with them and I have sat on this side, and I have never disrupted a speaker and yet here they do not have the courtesy to listen to what I have to say...

I am a Muslim, and I am an Indian. I see no distinction between the two. I see no reason why I, as a Muslim, have to fear a deal between India and the United States of America (USA). This is a deal between two countries. It is a deal between, we hope, two countries that in the future will be two equals...

Sir, the enemies of Indian Muslims are not the Americans, and the enemies of the Indian Muslims are not ‘deals’ like this. The enemies of Indian Muslims are the same enemies that all the poor people of India face -- poverty and hunger, unemployment, lack of development and the absence of a voice. It is that we are against: the effort being made to crush our voice.

Sir, I am not a Member of the UPA, and I do not aspire the membership of the UPA. But, Sir, I am extremely unhappy with the way in which my friends in the Left have taken on this self-imposed position of being the certifiers of who is secular and who is not.

Sir, until a few years ago, I was a part of the NDA and I was a minister with them. The same Left people considered me as a political untouchable, and they considered me an outcaste because I was a part of the NDA. Today, the same Left people are telling me that all secular Parties must unite with the BJP to bring down this government. (Interruptions)

Sir, I made the mistake of standing with them once. On the question of Gujarat, I did not resign when my conscience told me to do so, and my conscience has still not forgiven me. I need not make the same mistake again. … (Interruptions)

aapne amarnath ka aarop lagaya aap ek jagaah dikhaiye jahaaN kisi Kashmiri ne yaatra ke khilaf baat ki ho, aap ek jagaah dikhayiye jahaaN kisi Kashmiri ne kahaa ho hameN yaatri nahi chaahiye, ek jagaah dikhaaiye jahaaN pe yatriyoN ke uupar hamla hua ho.

hamaarii zamiiN kaa muddaa thaa ham apnii zamiiN ke liye laRe aur marte dam tak apnii zamiiN ke liye laRenge. lekin ham aapkii tarah firkaaparast nahiiN haiN, ham aapkii tarhaa communal nahiiN haeN, ham masjid nahii giraate ham mandir bhi nahii giraate.

ek sau saal se bhi zyaada amarnath ki yaatra wahaNa chaltii aaii hae aur jab tak kashmir meN musalmaan hae srinagar aur amarnath mai aapkii yaatra chaltii rahaigii.

lekin yeh baat mae daawe se kahena chahataa huuN ke in logoN kii tarhaa merii siyaasat badaltii nahii hai, aaj iss taraf kal uss taraf, hamne secular forces ke saath haath milaya hae aur milaate rahenge.

[Addressing the BJP in Hindi, rough translation:]

You talk of Amarnath, and you have levelled accusations regarding the Amarnath pilgrimage. Please show me one instance where any Kashmiri has spoken against the pilgrimage. Where any Kashmiri may have said that we do not want the pilgrimage. Where the pilgrims may have been attacked.

The issue was our land. We fought for our land. We will continue to fight for our land till our last breath. But unlike you, we are not communal. We do not demolish mosques. We do not demolish temples either.

For over a hundred years, the Amarnath yatra has been going on and as long as there are Muslims in Kashmir, the yatra shall go on.

But I want to say it with conviction that my politics does not change like theirs, today this side and tomorrow that. We have shaken hands with the secular forces and shall continue to do so.

Jammu Kashmir National Conference will vote to support the motion moved by the Prime Minister..


.Here is a link to the video.

I am still looking for Lallu's speech which was supposed to very good as well