J&K sex scandal: Omar Abdullah quits, Governor says no

JAMMU: On a day of high drama, Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah today submitted his resignation to Governor N N Vohra afterallegations against him by the opposition PDP. The governor however refused to accept Omar’s resignation.

During the J&K assembly session today, PDP leader and former deputy chief minister Muzaffar Beig linked the J&K chief minister to the infamous sex scandal that had rocked Srinagar in 2006.

Omar was accompanied to the governor’s residence by his father Farooq Abdullah. In his resignation letter, Omar asked the governor to initiate an enquiry into the allegations leveled against him within a specified time frame. "I would be grateful if in a time bound manner you can enquire into the allegations leveled against me at the earliest," his political advisor Davender Rana quoted Omar as saying, according to PTI.

In an emotional outburst in the assembly earlier in the day, Omar Abdullah said," I can't bear this kind of humiliation. I am innocent until proven guilty."

However, the Governor is reported to have observed that he would be able to consider Omar's resignation only after being fully informed about the details of the allegation against him and verifying its basis.

The Governor has asked Omar to continue to discharge his responsibilities as chief minister till a final decision is taken, a Raj Bhavan spokesperson said in a statement.

Vohra, who was on his way to the airport to leave for Delhi to attend to certain engagements, deferred his departure on receiving a message that the chief minister wanted to meet him urgently.

The spokesperson said Omar requested the Governor to inquire on a time-bound basis into the allegations made against his moral character by former Deputy Chief Minister Muzzafar Hussain Beigh, a PDP MLA, in the assembly today and to "immediately accept his resignation in case the Governor is satisfied that there is any basis therein."

The opposition had alleged that Omar's name figures at 102 on the list of offenders involved in the sex scandal. His name is being probed by the CBI, it claimed. "I have to say with regret, there is the name of Omar Abdullah, son of Farooq Abdullah, in the list. He has lost the moral authority to rule the state. He must resign," Muzaffar Beig said, PTI reported.

To which the J&K CM said, "I am going to submit by resignation to Governor N N Vohra. I know it is a false allegation. But I want to resign till I am cleared of this false allegation. I cannot work till I am proved innocent. It is a blot on my character.

There was huge uproar in the assembly during Omar's statement. The MLAs and ministers physically restrained him from going out telling him not to resign and that the party would not accept it. He was virtually forced to take his seat by the ruffled members but he got up to shout at them saying "allow me to take this first step."

Abdullah, who came to power in January this year at the head of a National Conference-Congress coalition, was virtually forced to take his seat by the ruffled members but he got up to shout at them saying "allow me to take this first step"".

A huge sex scandal hit the Valley in 2006. According to reports, girls, including minors, were coerced into prostitution, blackmailed and supplied to top police officials, bureaucrats, politicians, ministers and surrendered militants. The state had witnessed angry protests over the issue.