Omar hopes Anna calls off fasts permanently

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Accusing Anna Hazare of directing his agitation against the Congress, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday said he hoped the activist calls off his fast permanently.

"While fighting for the country's independence, Mahatma Gandhi went on fast just five times while Anna Hazare has already done so thrice this year," Abdullah told reporters in Bandipora district where he inaugurated a bridge across the Jhelum river connecting Ganderbal and Bandipora.

"Naturally, some fatigue and tiredness has resulted in his calling off the fast, which I hope is called off permanently," Abdullah said.

"Anna Hazare must have realized that India is not Delhi alone," the chief minister said.

He said the agitation was clearly directed against the Congress and more specifically against Congress president Sonia Gandhi and party general secretary Rahul Gandhi.

He also welcomed the recent statement of separatist leader and chairman of the moderate Hurriyat group Mirwaiz Umer Farooq about the paucity of electric power supply in the Kashmir Valley.

"I appeal to Mirwaiz Umer to issue a statement on the coming on Friday, calling for a campaign against power pilferage. That would save the state Rs.2,000 crore a year," the chief minister said.