In response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement in Srinagar today accusing the three families – NC, Congress and PDP – for destroying Jammu and Kashmir, Farooq Abdullah asked who released hardcore terrorists at Kandahar, Afghanistan in December 1999 in exchange for the hijacked 814 Indian Airlines plane and for abducted Rubaiya Sayeed, daughter of the then Home Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, in 1989.
“Who put pressure when I told them not to release the terrorists in both cases? The same terrorists who were released then are running terrorism in J&K from Pakistan. I had told them (Central Government at that time) that they will be responsible for our destruction but nobody listened and now they are blaming us – Congress and NC,” Farooq Abdullah said.
Farooq said had National Conference not been there during partition of the country in 1947, J&K would have become a part of Muslim majority Pakistan. “Instead, we preferred the path of Gandhi-Nehru to become part of India where all of its citizens — Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs or Buddhists — are equals,” he added.
Accusing the BJP of spreading hatred, Farooq said: “They have kept open the door of hatred and we have to shut it down. Rahul Gandhi is saying we have to shut the shop of hatred and open the shops of love. I am saying that we have to sink the vehicle of hatred and flag off the vehicle of love throughout the country. We are the crown of India and new dawn against hatred will emerge from here.”
Exuding confidence of winning the upcoming Assembly elections, the NC leader pooh-poohed BJP’s claim of forming next Government in J&K. “They (BJP) are building castles in the air. Have they won the heart of people of Jammu? What have they done for Jammu?” he said and alleged that the people were losing their land and were suffering due to inflation, while the civil and police officers from outside were posted on top positions ignoring the local officers.
Also rejecting BJP’s claim that terrorism was over, Farooq said the ground situation shows that it has increased in otherwise peaceful Jammu region.
The former Chief Minister said that if his party forms Government, he will restore the practice of ‘Darbar move’, started by Dogra rulers 149 years ago and had been an instrument of bond between the two regions.
Asked about his reaction to the ‘one nation, one election’ plan of the BJP-led Government, Farooq said that will not run in the country. “When it (one nation, one election) will be debated in Parliament, you will listen. I want to know if a Government collapses in any part of the country, will it come under President’s rule till the next election. How will it work? Let them make us understand in Parliament what they mean by this. How will they maintain the federal structure?” he said.
Asked about the purported statement of Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif that his country and NC-Congress alliance in J&K are on the same page over the restoration of Article 370, Farooq Abdullah said, “I don’t know what Pakistan is saying because I am not from Pakistan. I am a citizen of India.”
Later, addressing an election rally at Smailpur in Vijaypur Assembly constituency, Farooq Abdullah alleged that BJP had forged a secret alliance with separatist groups, unleashing terror through their militant wings and separatist agendas.
He appealed people to unite and strengthen the hands of the Congress- National Conference alliance to defeat the ‘communal forces’ threatening the country’s composite culture, ethos and brotherhood. He emphasized the importance of secular forces coming together to protect the nation’s diversity.
