His Fax Machine Only Has Outgoing, No Incoming: Omar Abdullah Cocks a Snook at Governor

Srinagar: The war of words over a fax machine at the Raj Bhavan in Jammu and Kashmir took a comic turn on Thursday with National Conference leader Omar Abdullah saying the machine only has outgoing and no incoming.

Abdullah made the remarks at a press conference in which he lashed out at Governor Satya Pal Malik for dissolving the Assembly despite a claim to government formation by PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti who was backed by the National Conference and the Congress.

While Mufti and Abdullah allege that the Raj Bhavan refused to acknowledge the former’s letter, the Governor claimed the fax machine at the Raj Bhavan was broken.

“This is for the first time that a fax machine didn't work and became responsible for the death of democracy. This fax machine is a one-way fax, it has only outgoing and no incoming. This is a unique fax machine and investigation should be done on it,” Abdullah, a former CM, said.

Speaking to News18 on Thursday, Malik said he had not received the fax as he and other staff were not available due to Eid holiday. “On Eid, no employee will be near the fax machine. She (Mufti) should have approached me a day earlier, or on Wednesday morning,” he said in his defence.

When pressed further on how he then released the official communication later on Wednesday night, he said that machines at the Governor’s house do not work some time. “Sometimes, water geysers also do not work at Raj Bhavan,” he told News18.

Mufti was on Wednesday forced to tweet out her party's claim to form the government in Jammu and Kashmir after the fax machine at the Raj Bhavan reportedly "refused" to accept her request.

She later expressed surprise at not being able to get through, giving rise to conspiracy theories. "In today's age of technology, it is very strange that the fax machine at the Governor's residence didn't receive our fax but swiftly issued one regarding the assembly dissolution," she tweeted, adding that BJP got "jitters" over the very idea of a grand coalition.

Both Mufti and Abdullah also exchanged a round of banter, posting memes on the issue on a lighter note.