Srinagar: Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah Monday said that late Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party chief and former CM would use state transport and police vehicles to bring his supporters to Republic day functions to show how much the situation was improving.

Omar was responding to a tweet by journalist who questioned the Governor Satya Pal Malik’s diktat making it compulsory for government servants to attend Republic Day function.

Baweja tweeted: “Quite silly of @jandkgovernor to issue a diktat making it compulsory for govt servants to attend Republic Day function. Anyone who does that doesnt really understand the ground reality in the state. Can patriotism be forced?”

Omar responded: “Please correct me if I’m wrong here but this isn’t the first time. Attendance has been compulsory in the past as well. In fact late Mufti Sb used to use state transport/police vehicles to bring supporters to show how much the situation was “improving”.