SRINAGAR: In a controversial statement, opposition National Conference president and three-time J&K Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah on Saturday alleged that Central government has ulterior motive to spread hatred against Muslims and claimed that Delhi was more troubled by militant attack in Kupwara than deadly Maoist attack on CRPF in Sukhna, Chattisgarh.
“The central government has an ulterior motive to spread hatred against Muslims. 26 CRPF men were killed in Maoist attack in Sukma but they are more troubled by the attack in Kupwara where three army men including an officer were killed,” Farooq said while addressing party workers at NC headquarters, here.
He said in order to cater to their own constituencies, they are painting Kashmiris in bad light.
“This perhaps is their new tactic to spread anti Kashmir anti Muslim hatred among Indians,” he said.
While comparing the airtime dedicated to two recent encounters at Kupwara and Sukma on news channels, Farooq said, “Media is doing a great disservice to Kashmir and its people by showing disturbing visuals on their prime time shows”.
“This will inevitably stop people from coming to Kashmir this summer. They want to finish our tourism and I see that they are working overtime in installing fear among potential tourists,” he said.
On February 27, militants attacked an army camp at Panzgam in Kupwara, killing three army men including a young captain. Five army men were also injured while two attackers were killed in retaliatory firing.
Farooq, who was recently elected as MP from Srinagar parliamentary seat, said the need of the hour is to defeat those forces, who are openly espousing hatred and sowing the seeds of communal discord in the state.
“I call upon all those who want to see a prosperous J&K and believe in brotherhood to come forward and reject the politics of communal polarization that has taken deep roots throughout the country,” he said.
The NC president called for immediate resumption of dialogue between New Delhi and Islamabad and also between New Delhi and stakeholders within Kashmir to find a lasting and just solution to the Kashmir issue.
Referring to Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi’s statement in Supreme Court that central government won’t hold talks with separatist leaders, Farooq said, “The State government's ‘Agenda of the Alliance’ has been proven a hoax. The Central government has wasted no time in snubbing J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti. This is an indication of the depths of humiliation and servitude Mehbooba has subjected the Chief Minister’s chair to. The honorable thing left for her is to break this alliance and
resign.”
He said there is no alternative to talks. “The central government’s stand of not holding talks with separatist is extremely dangerous for future of Kashmir. There can be no solution to Kashmir unless all stakeholders to the issue are engaged in dialogue and start of dialogue is must.”
Referring to protests by students across the Valley, he said, “It is high time that this government understand that the policy of repression unleashed on our youngsters and students will result in further alienation among the youth. It has not worked in past and will surely not work now and not in future. The sensible thing is to do away with anti-youth posturing and policies”.