NEW DELHI: National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah has strongly criticized Union minister Amit Shah’s accusations against his party and asserted that he stands against the vision of India promoted by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Speaking to reporters, Abdullah expressed confidence that his party will succeed in restoring statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, despite Shah’s claim that only the central government has the authority to do so.
“They (BJP) are scared of the National Conference. They will do everything possible to defame the National Conference but we will win and change the fate of the people. I just want to say to him (Amit Shah) that the India they want to make, we are against it,” Farooq Abdullah told reporters.
“India belongs to everyone, Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists and others…The ones who are raising questions on Muslims should know that Muslims have also contributed and sacrificed their lives for independence. They (BJP) are only trying to scare Hindus, they think Hindus will vote for them but I want to tell them that now those Hindus are not the same Hindus,” he added.
Abdullah also accused the BJP of failing to fulfill its promise of eradicating terrorism in the Union Territory even after the abrogation of Article 370.
“They say if the National Conference and Congress come to power, terrorism will start again. I ask them when they abolished Article 370, did terrorism end?. National Conference and Congress will ensure that we get our statehood back,” he said.
These remarks come in response to Amit Shah’s dismissal of the opposition’s efforts to revive the autonomy issue during the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir assembly polls. Shah urged the NC-Congress alliance to refrain from deceiving the public by promising statehood, as only the central government has the power to restore it.
The home minister assured the people that statehood would be restored after the assembly elections, which are being held under the national flag and the Constitution for the first time since the revocation of Article 370 by the Modi government.
The upcoming assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, the first since December 2014, are scheduled to take place in three phases on September 18, 25, and October 1. The counting of votes will be conducted on October 8, coinciding with the Haryana election results.
The Congress party has formed an alliance with the National Conference, and the PDP has pledged its support to the alliance. The BJP, however, has decided to contest the elections independently, having secured 25 seats in the previous assembly elections in 2014.
Speaking to reporters, Abdullah expressed confidence that his party will succeed in restoring statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, despite Shah’s claim that only the central government has the authority to do so.
“They (BJP) are scared of the National Conference. They will do everything possible to defame the National Conference but we will win and change the fate of the people. I just want to say to him (Amit Shah) that the India they want to make, we are against it,” Farooq Abdullah told reporters.
“India belongs to everyone, Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists and others…The ones who are raising questions on Muslims should know that Muslims have also contributed and sacrificed their lives for independence. They (BJP) are only trying to scare Hindus, they think Hindus will vote for them but I want to tell them that now those Hindus are not the same Hindus,” he added.
Abdullah also accused the BJP of failing to fulfill its promise of eradicating terrorism in the Union Territory even after the abrogation of Article 370.
“They say if the National Conference and Congress come to power, terrorism will start again. I ask them when they abolished Article 370, did terrorism end?. National Conference and Congress will ensure that we get our statehood back,” he said.
These remarks come in response to Amit Shah’s dismissal of the opposition’s efforts to revive the autonomy issue during the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir assembly polls. Shah urged the NC-Congress alliance to refrain from deceiving the public by promising statehood, as only the central government has the power to restore it.
The home minister assured the people that statehood would be restored after the assembly elections, which are being held under the national flag and the Constitution for the first time since the revocation of Article 370 by the Modi government.
The upcoming assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, the first since December 2014, are scheduled to take place in three phases on September 18, 25, and October 1. The counting of votes will be conducted on October 8, coinciding with the Haryana election results.
The Congress party has formed an alliance with the National Conference, and the PDP has pledged its support to the alliance. The BJP, however, has decided to contest the elections independently, having secured 25 seats in the previous assembly elections in 2014.
Source Agencies
