Daijiworld Media Network - Srinagar
Srinagar, Oct 25: National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah triggered a political controversy on Saturday, October 24, by claiming that Pakistan was “protecting” the people of Jammu and Kashmir by raising the Kashmir issue at international forums. His remarks drew sharp criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which termed them “seditious and anti-national” and demanded legal action against the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister.
Addressing party workers in north Kashmir’s Baramulla, Abdullah questioned whether the people of Jammu and Kashmir could expect justice from the Centre and accused the government of having questionable intentions towards the region.
“What can you expect from Delhi? Do you expect them to deliver justice for you? Have the courage to fight them, or you will be wiped out, and your identity will disappear,” Abdullah said.
Without directly naming Pakistan, the NC president referred to the neighbouring country’s efforts to raise the Kashmir issue internationally and suggested that these efforts were keeping the region’s concerns alive.
“They are silent today because of the pressure from the world. Our neighbour is constantly after them. He goes everywhere saying that the Kashmir issue has not been resolved. He is protecting us; otherwise, their intentions are not good,” he said.
Abdullah urged the people of Jammu and Kashmir to stand united and fight for their rights, warning that their identity and future could be at risk if they failed to stand up for themselves.
However, he maintained that the people of Jammu and Kashmir had never rejected their Indian identity and had repeatedly affirmed their accession to India.
“We never said that we are not Indians. Time and time again, we affirmed that we acceded to India — to the India of Mahatma Gandhi, the India of Jawaharlal Nehru, the India of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad,” he said.
The NC president also criticised the Centre’s policies, alleging that they had kept the people of Jammu and Kashmir dependent rather than enabling them to become self-reliant. He said people could safeguard their dignity, honour and rights only by standing on their own feet.
Emphasising the importance of unity, Abdullah called upon the people to follow the path shown by Almighty Allah and remain steadfast in their struggle for justice.
Recalling the region’s history, he said the people of Jammu and Kashmir had endured hardships and oppression under different rulers, including the Afghans, Sikhs, Mughals and Dogras, but had eventually overcome those difficult periods.
“The hardships of the present era, too, would not last forever,” he said.
Abdullah also raised concerns over the mandatory service requirements for medical students and doctors in Jammu and Kashmir. He said doctors who come from outside the Union Territory to pursue MBBS, MD or MS courses, as well as students studying medicine in the region, are required to serve for two years in villages, hospitals and other designated areas. Those who fail to fulfil the requirement, he said, must pay Rs 40 lakh to the administration.
Criticising the functioning of the administration, Abdullah claimed that files were being delayed despite the division of responsibilities between the Lieutenant Governor and the elected government.
“This is a region where a file has been pending with the Lieutenant Governor for a year. The LG claims that powers are vested with the elected government,” he said.
He further alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah had made commitments to the people regarding delimitation, elections and the subsequent restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. However, he said statehood had not been restored despite the passage of two years.
Expressing concern over the treatment of minorities in different parts of the country, Abdullah alleged that the homes, shops and mosques of minority communities, particularly Muslims, were being targeted in several areas, especially in BJP-ruled states.
His remarks drew a strong reaction from the Jammu and Kashmir BJP, with party spokesperson Altaf Thakur condemning the NC president for portraying Pakistan as a force working in the interests of Kashmiris while questioning the Centre’s intentions.
Thakur described Abdullah’s remarks as “seditious and anti-national” and demanded that he be booked for making such statements.
“It was deeply unfortunate that a senior political leader was questioning India’s intentions towards the people of Jammu and Kashmir while projecting Pakistan as a force working in their interest,” Thakur said.
He added that a leader who had taken an oath under the Indian Constitution could not be allowed to question the country’s intentions towards its own people while giving political legitimacy to Pakistan’s position on Kashmir.
“If Abdullah has so much love for Pakistan, he should go to Pakistan,” Thakur said.
The controversy has once again brought the political differences between the National Conference and the BJP over Jammu and Kashmir’s political future, the Centre’s policies and the restoration of statehood into focus.