VHP Slams Farooq Abdullah Over ‘Pakistan Saved Kashmiris’ Remark, Demands Apology
The VHP accused the National Conference president of making objectionable comments about Pakistan and urged Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to clarify his position.
NEW DELHI, Oct 24: The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Saturday criticised National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah over his remarks on Pakistan, demanding an apology for what it described as a pro-Pakistan and anti-national statement.
Abdullah had earlier said that Pakistan had helped keep the Kashmir issue alive by raising it at international forums. His comments sparked a political controversy, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accusing him of making seditious and anti-national remarks.
Addressing a party event in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, Abdullah questioned whether people in Jammu and Kashmir could expect justice from the Centre and urged them to demonstrate the courage to confront Delhi.
Reacting to the statement, VHP national spokesperson Vinod Bansal criticised the NC leader in a post on X, alleging that his remarks overlooked Pakistan’s role in attacks against India and its alleged support for terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.
Bansal questioned the rationale behind presenting Pakistan as a supporter of Kashmiris and said Abdullah should apologise to the country. He added that such statements would not be tolerated.
The VHP spokesperson also defended the Centre’s decision to abrogate Articles 370 and 35A, claiming that the move had helped curb terrorist infiltration and accelerate development in the Union Territory.
He maintained that the government’s firm approach towards Pakistan had contributed to an improved environment for peace and development in Jammu and Kashmir. Against this backdrop, he described Abdullah’s remarks as objectionable.
Bansal further demanded that legal action be considered against the NC president under sedition law if he refused to apologise.
He also called on Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to clarify his position on his father’s comments, questioning whether he supported the statement or rejected it.
The VHP spokesperson additionally alleged that Farooq Abdullah’s remarks could mislead young people in Kashmir and linked them to what he described as opposition leaders’ ambitions for a change of government at the Centre.
The controversy has added to the political debate over Pakistan’s role in the Kashmir issue and the Centre’s policies towards Jammu and Kashmir.
