SRINAGAR: National Conference president and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah was on Wednesday heckled during Eid prayers in Srinagar for chanting “Bharat Mata ki jai” and “Jai Hind” during a prayer meet held on August 20 for former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Abdullah was attending Eid prayers at the 17th century Hazratbal mosque when a section of the gathering started raising slogans of “Farooq Abdullah go back” and “Hum kya chahte, azadi (we want freedom)”. Some of the slogan-shouting youths also tried to approach the NC leader, who was sitting on a chair in the front row because of ill-health. However, some people joined hands to make a human chain around him and stop them from coming near him. Security personnel also threw a ring around the NC leader.
Despite the disruption, Abdullah, who is also the Lok Sabha MP from Srinagar, continued with his prayers. He later downplayed the incident saying the jeering and booing youths were his “own people” who were misguided. “I did not leave the venue and completed my prayers. They are my own people,” Abdullah said. “A politician, at times, has to face people’s anger. I only hope these misguided youths are counselled properly.”