J-K Governor rejects Omar's resignation, asks him to continue

On a day of high drama, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah tendered his resignation to Governor N N Vohra asking him to go into a senior PDP leader's allegation of his involvement in the 2006 sex scandal and accept it if he was guilty.

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 on Tuesday and to "immediately accept his resignation in case the Governor is satisfied that there is any basis therein."

An emotional Omar drove to the Governor's residence at 3 PM shortly after announcing in the assembly that he will submit his resignation and stay out of office till his name is cleared, refusing to yield to pleas by National Conference and Congress MLAs not to step down.

"Those who lead must not only be clean but also look to be clean. At the end of the day one has is one's personal credibility and self respect. Both of these Mr.Beigh tried to snatch from me through the charges he levelled," Omar said in his resignation letter.

"I would be grateful, if you could enquire into the allegations against me in a time-bound manner and if you are satisfied that there is any basis in these allegations please accept my resignation immediately," he said.

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