Farooq Abdullah and Amit Shah Clash Over Jammu and Kashmir Elections
Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], September 21: National Conference (NC) Chief Farooq Abdullah has responded to Home Minister Amit Shah’s recent speech in Jammu and Kashmir. Abdullah accused the BJP of trying to weaken national unity and misleading the public to strengthen its position.
Farooq Abdullah stated, “When they point one finger towards us, three fingers are raised towards them. These (BJP) are the biggest looters. They have ruined the country. They have tried to divide the Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, and Christians. They do not want to keep India united, they want to divide India.” He further added, “They say they are strengthening India? They want to strengthen their position by deceiving the public.”
Earlier, Union Home Minister Amit Shah accused the NC-Congress alliance of destabilizing Jammu and Kashmir by seeking the release of separatists and terrorist sympathizers. Speaking at a public rally in Jammu, Shah said, “Three families have looted J&K. Terror will be back if NC and Congress come to power. Jammu has to decide their fate. If the BJP comes to power, we won’t allow terror to raise its head, asserting that talks with Pakistan will not resume until peace is restored.”
At another rally in Mendhar, Amit Shah claimed that the influence of the Abdullah, Mufti, and Nehru-Gandhi families in the region has been broken. He said, “This election is about ending the rule of three families. For 75 years, the Abdullah, Gandhi, Nehru, and Mufti families have ruled. Until now, they had crushed democracy under their feet. After Modi ji came, he held Gram Panchayat and Tehsil Panchayat elections, and today 30,000 youth in Jammu and Kashmir are on the path of democracy. In the coming days, these youths will emerge as MLAs, MPs, and even CMs.”
Targeting the Congress, National Conference, and PDP’s manifesto, which promises to restore Article 370 and bring back statehood in Jammu-Kashmir, Shah said, “This election is going to end the rule of three families in Jammu and Kashmir: the Abdullah family, the Mufti family, and the Nehru-Gandhi family. These three families had stopped democracy here. If Modi ji’s government had not come in 2014, then panchayat, block, and district elections would not have taken place.”
He added, “Abdullah, Mufti, and the Nehru-Gandhi family have spread terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir from the 90s till now. Today, the BJP government led by Shri Narendra Modi has ended terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. The youth here have been given laptops instead of stones.”
The Congress and the National Conference are fighting the polls in alliance. The PDP, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and People’s Conference, among others, are also contesting for 90 Assembly seats. This is the first election in Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370. Leaders have been actively campaigning to boost their party candidates’ prospects. Voting for the second and third phases in J-K will be held on September 25 and October 1, respectively. Votes will be counted on October 8.
Doubts Revealed
Farooq Abdullah -: Farooq Abdullah is a senior politician in India and the leader of the National Conference party. He has been the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir several times.
Amit Shah -: Amit Shah is a prominent Indian politician and the current Home Minister of India. He is a key leader in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Jammu and Kashmir -: Jammu and Kashmir is a region in northern India. It used to be a state but is now a Union Territory after some changes in 2019.
BJP -: BJP stands for Bharatiya Janata Party. It is one of the major political parties in India.
National Conference -: National Conference is a political party in Jammu and Kashmir. It is led by Farooq Abdullah.
Home Minister -: The Home Minister is a high-ranking official in the Indian government responsible for internal security and domestic policy.
NC-Congress alliance -: This is a partnership between the National Conference and the Indian National Congress, two political parties, to work together in elections.
Abrogation of Article 370 -: Article 370 was a special law that gave Jammu and Kashmir more autonomy than other Indian states. It was removed in 2019, changing the region’s status.
Abdullah, Mufti, and Nehru-Gandhi families -: These are influential political families in India. The Abdullah family is linked to the National Conference, the Mufti family to the PDP, and the Nehru-Gandhi family to the Congress party.