SRINAGAR — Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah countered Union Minister JP Nadda after the latter attributed a Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB) paper leak incident to the National Conference-Congress coalition government.
Clarifying the timeline, Abdullah pointed out that the examination compromise occurred in 2022, during a period when the Union Territory was directly under Central governance headed by the Lieutenant Governor.
Fact-Check and Political Exchange
The exchange unfolded following a press conference where Union Minister JP Nadda responded to Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi’s statements regarding national examination irregularities:
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Nadda’s Claim: Addressing media queries regarding paper leaks across various states, Union Minister JP Nadda cited the JKSSB exam leak while linking the incident to the NC-Congress administration.
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Timeline Correction: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah took to social media to clarify that the JKSSB paper leak transpired in 2022—two years prior to the assembly elections that brought the NC-Congress government to power in October 2024.
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Judicial Reference: Highlighting past legal proceedings, Abdullah shared excerpts from the J&K High Court’s 2022 directives, which had instructed the UT administration to constitute an independent judicial committee to investigate the exam procedures.
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Political Context: J&K conducted its assembly elections in late 2024 following a decade-long gap, ending the direct central governance regime and establishing the current elected government.
