Walk, Auto, Scooty… Different Modes, One Destination For Abdullahs And NC Leaders

Srinagar, Jul 14: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah did a virtual power walk, security personnel struggling to keep pace with him, his father Farooq Abdullah took an auto and minister Sakina Ittoo drove pillion on a scooty.
Unprecedented scenes played out in Srinagar on Monday as National Conference leaders made their way to the Naqshband Sahib graveyard to pay tribute to 22 people killed by the Dogra army on July 13, 1931. On Sunday, observed as Martyrs’ Day, the leaders were allegedly put under house arrest and prevented from accessing the martyrs’ graveyard.
A day later, they were determined they would not be stopped – even if police had sealed the road and locked the gates.
So Omar Abdullah, the 55-year-old very fit chief minister of the union territory, nimbly vaulted over the gates of the graveyard.
Police had bolted the gates in the hope of stopping him and his entourage from entering the premises and were taken by surprise when he just decided to scale the height.
Omar Abdullah gave a tough time to security officials as they tried to keep pace with him as he decided to walk from Khanyar Chowk to the Naqshband Sahib in the old city after his vehicle was stopped from proceeding with police sealing the road.
The chief minister is a ‘Z’ Plus protectee and his personal security detail kept up, step for step, through the one-kilometre walk. His security men and several other National Conference leaders also clambered over before the gate was finally thrown open.
There was more drama to unfold.
National Conference president and former union minister Farooq Abdullah took an autorickshaw to reach the martyrs memorial after police stopped his vehicle at Khanyar Chowk.
The 87-year-old veteran has been known for being unorthodox in the span of his 45-year political career.
Ittoo, the only woman minister in the Omar Abdullah cabinet, had her own surprise for her party leaders and mediapersons as she reached the martyrs memorial riding pillion on a scooty.
The minister reportedly asked a passerby for a lift after police stopped her car at Khanyar Chowk.
That was not the end of it.
Police officials did not give up and tried to physically stop the chief minister while he was heading towards the specific graves but Abdullah managed to brush past their flailing hands.
“This is the physical grappling I was subjected to but I am made of sterner stuff & was not to be stopped. I was doing nothing unlawful or illegal. In fact these “protectors of the law” need to explain under what law they were trying to stop us from offering Fatiha,” the chief minister posted on his personal X handle along with a video. (Agencies)

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