National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah Monday made serious allegations against the BJP-led government, saying it ordered the air strike in Pakistan’s Balakot with the “sole purpose” of winning Lok Sabha elections.
The Srinagar MP alleged the BJP has “failed” on all fronts and it was apprehended that there would be a fight or skirmish with Pakistan before the polls so that Prime Minister Narendra Modi becomes some kind of an “avatar” without whom India cannot survive.
“This surgical strike (air strike) was done only for the purpose of election…totally for the election. We lost an aircraft worth crores of rupees. Be thankful that the IAF pilot (Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman) survived and returned from Pakistan with respect,” Abdullah told reporters here.
“In the Parliament, we knew they have failed on all other things and that there would be a fight or a skirmish with Pakistan in Kashmir so that he (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) becomes some kind of an ‘avatar’ without whom India cannot survive. But I want to tell him that whether he or I live or not, India will live and move forward, he said.
The NC president said an atmosphere of fear was being created to help the BJP in the polls.
“They want to create an atmosphere of fear. There would be no war. The whole world is watching. This government is only using the senior officer for winning the election, the officer whom they got by superseding many others and who is now dancing to their tunes. Otherwise, there is no danger,” he said, without naming the “officer,” he said adding, “This atmosphere of fear that they have created in the country that without him anything will happen, I want to tell him that you were neither a God and never will be”.
Abdullah said there is no other way than to talk to Pakistan over the Kashmir issue.
“They (New Delhi) have brought this (Kashmir) into international limelight. Several countries are now involved in making India and Pakistan to talk over Kashmir and they will have to engage themselves as it is the only way forward,” he said.
Asked about the Election Commission of India’s decision to delay the assembly polls in the state, Abdullah said he feared some “mischief” by the Government of India (GoI) in J&K.
“I think they must have thought of doing some mischief, that’s why they delayed the polls. I do not understand that when thousands of people took part in the Panchayat and municipal polls, what danger they think there is now when forces are present in larger number than they were. And they are present in every nook and corner of the state,” he said.
The NC president said all parties are in favour of holding simultaneous LokSabha and Assembly polls and now the public should understand what their motive is.
Abdullah said postponement of assembly polls can have serious ramifications across the state. “The ones who took this democratically incoherent decision must be up to some mischief otherwise there is no sound reason for not conducting both assembly and LS elections together. If the situation is conducive for parliament elections, what stops them from conducting assembly elections at the same time?”
“I fail to comprehend the yardstick that has been employed by ECI in not announcing both elections together,” adding, “Why same principle was not employed at the time of ULB and Panchayat elections? Perhaps local body polls had become a point of prestige for Prime Minister that is why they were conducted without giving a thought about security and other issues that are being raked up today,” he said.
Stating that people of state are awake to the machinations of the forces inimical to state’s identity and integrity, he said, “I believe Modi government is contriving to supplant a set up in the state which would work on the whims of Modi. People of the state are awake to what they have been doing all along. Nonetheless people of the state will unravel their nefarious designs and give them a befitting reply in the forthcoming general elections.”
Commenting on any prospective alliance with any political party, Abdullah said, “The position will be clear in few days from now. We are deliberating on the matter.”
When asked about the party’s candidate from Srinagar Parliamentary constituency, he said, “I will contest from Srinagar constituency. Our party will ask the people to elect us to put up strong front for the protection of the interests of state and its people from the machinations of forces as are persistent in their efforts to destroy the special status of our state.”
