BJP, VHP seek Farooq Abdullah’s apology over ‘Pak saving Kashmiris’ remark, Congress criticises NC chief
New Delhi, Oct 24 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Saturday lashed out at National Conference (NC) President Farooq Abdullah after he credited Pakistan for “saving” Kashmiris, calling it “treason” and asking him to apologise for his controversial remarks.
The Congress also called the remark “wrong”, asserting that Kashmir is secure because it is an integral part of India.
Earlier on Saturday, the former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah said that the intentions of Indian State towards Kashmiris are not “right”, and it is due to Pakistan’s diplomatic effort that their voice are being heard globally.
Responding to Farooq Abdullah’s remark, BJP national spokesperson RP Singh said: “Farooq Abdullah should also look across the border and see the plight of Kashmiris on the other side. Kashmir is doing well here because Article 370 was abrogated and it was fully integrated with India, due to which crores of tourists visit Kashmir, leading to economic development of the region.”
BJP leader Ravinder Raina called Farooq Abdullah’s remarks “highly condemnable and irresponsible”.
Speaking to IANS, Raina said: “Farooq Abdullah has committed treason against the nation. The Pakistan that provided weapons—bombs, guns, pistols, bullets, and grenades—to terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir, the Pakistan that infiltrated terrorists into Kashmir and killed thousands and lakhs of innocent people here, how can that country be a well-wisher to Kashmiris?”
“He (Farooq Abdullah) should apologise to the nation or else legal action should be taken against him,” he added.
VHP national spokesperson Vinod Bansal told IANS that the former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister keeps changing his stance from time to time.
“He (Farooq Abdullah) lives in India but sings praises of Pakistan,” he told IANS.
In a post on social media platform X, Bansal also asked the NC patron to apologise for his “Pakistan-loving, anti-national statement”, urging for legal action if he fails to do so.
He added that “food from India and praise for sinful Pakistan” will no longer be tolerated.
Echoing that the statement is clearly an “act of treason” against India, the VHP Chief said: “It should also be examined whether Farooq Abdullah, through such statements, is attempting to mislead Kashmiri youth and is part of an anti-India conspiracy aimed at fulfilling the opposition leaders’ dream of regime change.”
Meanwhile, Congress leader Udit Raj also criticised Farooq Abdullah, saying: “This is very wrong. Pakistan, on the contrary, promotes terrorist activities in our country… Is Pakistan taking care of Kashmir? He should not have said this, it reflects ungratefulness.”
While acknowledging Farooq Abdullah’s political experience, Congress leader Choudhary Lal Singh said: “His remarks may be rooted in his own personal experience, however, I do not agree with what he has said. What standing does Pakistan have to ‘save’ Jammu & Kashmir? If Jammu and Kashmir is secure today, it is because it is an integral part of India.”
Congress leader Husain Dalwai echoed that while the National Conference Chief is a respected leader, “it was wrong for him to make such a statement.”
“Praising Pakistan is absolutely wrong. It was because of the partition of India and Pakistan that Muslims were left facing a complicated situation. We are still bearing the consequences of the mistakes made by Jinnah,” he told IANS.
Congress MP Imran Masood also said he does not agree with the former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister’s statement.
“Why Farooq Abdullah made this statement is something I cannot understand. Because Sheikh Abdullah’s stance was always aligned with India…we do not condemn or support any external interference in our internal matters,” he told IANS.
–IANS
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