06-12-2023 : Veteran politician and Lok Sabha MP from Srinagar, Farooq Abdullah, took aim at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), asserting that the party consistently neglects the achievements of India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. Speaking to reporters outside Parliament, Abdullah, who is also the president of the National Conference (NC), emphasized the political differences between the BJP and Nehru, stating that the BJP will never acknowledge Nehru’s significant contributions.
Abdullah’s remarks coincided with the passing of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill in the Lok Sabha. The bill aimed to nominate two members from the Kashmiri migrant community and one representative for displaced persons from Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir to the Legislative Assembly.
Responding to questions about Nehru’s decision to take the Kashmir issue to the United Nations, Abdullah contextualized the situation, pointing out that the Army had to be deployed to Poonch and Rajouri due to raiders causing chaos. He noted that instead of advancing towards Muzaffarabad (the capital of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir), the strategic decision was made to divert forces to Poonch and Rajouri, ultimately securing these areas for India.
Abdullah also highlighted what he described as a “mistake” by the United Nations, treating India and Pakistan equally despite the latter being the aggressor. He alleged that the UN was influenced by the United States, which had sided with Pakistan.
Turning to the issue of reservation for the Gujjar and Bakkerwal communities, Abdullah revealed that he had advocated for their reservation in 1983 through a letter, but the matter remains unresolved.
In his critique of the Central Government, Abdullah questioned the claims of normalcy in Kashmir, pointing to the heavy deployment of security forces. He challenged the narrative by asking why people are still being killed and how terrorists manage to infiltrate if terrorism has truly come to an end. Abdullah cited ongoing violence and the sacrifice of Army officers as evidence that challenges the government’s assertions about the situation in Kashmir.