Srinagar, Aug 15 (IANS) A junior-level police officer flung a shoe at Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah during the Independence Day function in the high-security Bakshi Stadium here Sunday even as a separatist-called shutdown yet again paralyzed life across the Valley.
An assistant sub-inspector of police, who was sitting in the stadium along with other VIPs in the enclosure behind the podium where Abdullah unfurled the national flag, flung a brown shoe at the chief minister.
Security personnel immediately whisked away the officer, who was in civvies. He also tried to display a black flag as he was being taken away by the security men.
The chief minister ignored the incident, saying: ‘It is better people throw shoes instead of stones as this will not injure anybody.’
The main parade, however, continued as Abdullah took the salute.
Contingents of local police, paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Border Security Force (BSF) and auxiliary police marched passed the podium as the chief minister took the salute.
Abdullah expressed grief over the deaths of civilians killed in protests here since June 11.
‘My heart bleeds, and in their hour of grief I am with the bereaved families,’ he said, adding that nobody can be so stone-hearted as not to be touched by the happenings and no eye can be without tears over the loss of lives.
The chief minister also expressed grief over the loss of lives in the recent cloudburst in Leh and said that the government would take every step for the rehabilitation of the affected families and restoration of infrastructure.
Admitting that no economic or employment packages can heal the wounds, Abdullah said economic development was also an essential component of the well-being of the state and its people.
He announced that 50,000 youth will be engaged by the government within the next few months. ‘While prime minister has constituted the C. Rangarajan committee to address the employment problem in Jammu and Kashmir, on the occasion of the holy days of Ramadan, I announce that the state government will engage 50,000 youth in the government within the next few months to improve the public delivery system in public services.’
He also appealed to separatist leaders to come to the table for talks and play their role in solving the Kashmir issue.
The chief minister has been facing sharp criticism for his handling of the latest uprising in the Kashmir Valley during which over 55 people have been killed, mostly in firing by security forces, since June 11.
With Sunday’s shoe throwing incident, Abdullah joins the league of Home Minister P. Chidambaram, Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari, former US president George W. Bush and Chinese premier Wen Jiabao who have had shoes flung at them
Independence Day functions were also held at Ganderbal, Badgam, Pulwama, Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian, Kupwara and Baramulla district headquarters and they passed off without any untoward incident.
Meanwhile, the Valley observed a total shutdown due to a separatist call who asked people to observe Aug 15 as a ‘black day’.
