Shoe thrown at Omar Abdullah at Independence Day function

M.today

Srinagar, August 15:  A shoe was hurled at Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah by a suspended police officer, during the Independence Day function in Srinagar on Sunday. However, the shoe did not hit the Chief Minister.

 

Just as the Chief Minister was about to unfurl the flag, it came flying from behind the stands. The man, in civilian clothes, then raised black flags and shouted slogans. He was whisked away by security personnel immediately after he lobbed the shoe.

 

The Independence Day event then continued.

In his speech the Chief Minister commented on the shoe-throwing incident saying, ’better to throw shoes than stones’, a reference to the crisis of the past two months.

The Chief Minister appealed for peace in the state in the holy month of Ramzan. Omar Abdullah asked people to give up violence and show strength from both sides.

In his speech, he also raised the issue of autonomy, a debate reignited by the PM earlier this week.

But who is the man who threw shoe at Omar Abdullah? He is a suspended Head Constable named Abdulla Ahad Jaan and a criminal case was registered against him in May.

The Bakshi stadium, which was the venue for the Independence Day function, was being held under tight security with no civilians allowed inside. Authorities are investigating how did he reach the VIP area at the Independence Day function.

Stone throwing protests and civilian deaths in firing by security forces have crippled the Valley in the past two months.

Omar almost quit?

Did Omar Abdullah come close to resigning due to the wave of violence in the Valley in which over 50 people have been killed so far. 

Sources say, an upset Chief Minister did in fact come close to resigning but was persuaded to stay on by his father Farooq Abdullah.

However, the J&K government has denied the media reports that Omar ever came close to quitting, but today after a shoe was thrown at Omar Abdullah, he said it’s better to throw shoes than stones.