Ghulam Nabi Azad rejected Farooq Abdullah's claim that Pakistan's Kashmir campaign protects the region. The remarks intensified criticism from the BJP and other political leaders.
Ghulam Nabi Azad slams Farooq Abdullah over Pakistan remark, says it is J&K's enemy
Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Sunday hit back at National Conference president Farooq Abdullah over his claim that Pakistan was protecting the people of Jammu and Kashmir by raising the Kashmir issue internationally, saying Pakistan is the enemy of India and the people of the Union Territory.
"I respect Farooq sahab, but his statement is completely incorrect. If anyone is an enemy of India and the people of J&K, it is Pakistan," Azad posted on X.
Pointing to the situation in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), Azad said people there were protesting for their rights. He also credited successive Central governments with contributing to Jammu and Kashmir's development since Independence.
"Since 1947, successive Central governments, from Nehru to Modi, have contributed to J&K's development, irrespective of political affiliations," he added.
Azad's remarks came a day after Abdullah triggered a political row with his comments at a party workers' convention in north Kashmir's Baramulla district, where he argued that Pakistan's repeated references to Kashmir at international forums had helped protect the region.
WHAT FAROOQ ABDULLAH SAID ABOUT PAKISTAN
Abdullah, who heads the National Conference (NC), said Pakistan's continued efforts to raise the Kashmir issue internationally were protecting Jammu and Kashmir, while questioning the Centre's intentions towards the region.
"Our neighbour (Pakistan) is constantly after them. He (Pak PM Shehbaz Sharif) goes everywhere saying that the Kashmir issue has not been resolved. He is protecting us; otherwise, their (Centre's) intentions are not good," Abdullah said at the Baramulla event on Saturday.
He also questioned whether people in Jammu and Kashmir could expect justice from the Centre and urged them to stand up for their rights and identity.
"What can you expect from Delhi? Do you expect them to deliver justice for you? Have the courage to fight, or you will be wiped out, and your identity will disappear," he said.
Abdullah's remarks drew sharp criticism from the BJP, which accused him of giving political legitimacy to Pakistan's position on Kashmir and demanded action against him.
IMRAN ANSARI CALLS NC LEADERS 'REBELS ON RENT'
Shia leader and former minister Imran Ansari also criticised Abdullah, urging Kashmiris not to follow the National Conference president's example.
"Just a humble and brotherly request to my fellow Kashmiris. Please do not emulate Farooq sahab. He and some select band are free to say anything," Ansari posted on X.
Ansari accused the NC leadership of enjoying freedoms that ordinary Kashmiris did not have, describing its political dissent as a "rented rebellion".
"Their so-called rebellion is a rented rebellion. This space is allowed only for a select few. Whatever they say is allowed. If a common Kashmiri speaks in a similar tone, the government will in seconds put that person in detention under PSA or UAPA," he added.
The Public Safety Act (PSA) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) are among the laws under which authorities can detain or prosecute people, subject to their respective legal provisions.
BJP DEMANDS POLICE ACTION, SEEKS APOLOGY
The BJP on Saturday demanded police action against Abdullah, describing his remarks as seditious and anti-national.
BJP spokesperson Altaf Thakur said Abdullah should be booked for making the comments, arguing that a leader who had taken an oath under the Indian Constitution could not question the country's intentions towards its own people while giving political legitimacy to Pakistan's narrative.
Thakur also accused Pakistan of inflicting immense suffering on Jammu and Kashmir through its sponsorship of terrorism, which he said had led to decades of violence and targeted killings.
"Pakistan has given Kashmir nothing but terrorism, bloodshed, fear and uncertainty. Does Farooq Abdullah expect the people of Kashmir to forget this painful history and believe that Pakistan is their saviour?" he asked.
Jammu and Kashmir BJP chief Sat Sharma also demanded a public apology from Abdullah, arguing that the freedom to make such remarks was itself guaranteed by India.
"Farooq Abdullah needs to understand that he has the freedom to say whatever he wishes in this country. It is precisely because of this freedom that he is able to make such statements. Had you made these remarks in Pakistan, you might not have been spared," Sharma told news agency ANI.
He maintained that Muslims in Jammu and Kashmir were safe in India and accused Abdullah of overlooking the consequences of the scrapping of Article 370.
"The BJP will not tolerate such conduct. He should publicly apologise to the people of India. Otherwise, I would say that Pakistan would be a better place for him, and he should go and settle there," Sharma said.
Former Jammu and Kashmir BJP chief Ravinder Raina also condemned Abdullah's comments, calling them "highly condemnable and unfortunate" and accusing the NC president of committing an "act of treason".
"Pakistan is the killer of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Over the last 35 years, Pakistan has sought to turn Jammu and Kashmir into a graveyard and a cremation ground," Raina said.
He accused Pakistan of fuelling terrorism in the region by providing terrorists with training, weapons, ammunition and explosives.
Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Vinod Bansal also criticised Abdullah, asserting that Kashmir was, is and would always remain an integral part of India.
Questioning Abdullah's suggestion that Pakistan was protecting Kashmiris, Bansal argued that India's strength was responsible for the region's security.
"Even when traitors of the country come to power, they do not give up their treason. They live in India and sing praises of Pakistan. Is Kashmir safe because of Pakistan or is Kashmir safe by showing India's strength to Pakistan?" he told ANI.
ARTICLE 370 AND PAKISTAN'S KASHMIR CAMPAIGN
Pakistan has repeatedly raised the Kashmir issue, including the abrogation of Article 370, at international forums such as the United Nations and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
Article 370, which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir, was abrogated by the Centre in August 2019. The erstwhile state was subsequently reorganised into two Union Territories, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
The BJP has repeatedly accused Pakistan of backing terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, while Pakistan has continued to raise the dispute at international platforms.
ABDULLAH CALLS FOR MUSLIM UNITY OVER DEMOLITIONS
At the Baramulla event, Abdullah also appealed to Muslims across the country to unite against the BJP over demolitions in states governed by the party.
He alleged that properties belonging to Muslims were being disproportionately targeted and questioned how members of the community could support a political dispensation under whose rule their homes, shops and places of worship were allegedly being demolished.
Abdullah called for collective action to safeguard the community's rights.
The BJP and governments in states ruled by the party have maintained that demolition drives are carried out by the relevant authorities against illegal encroachments and unauthorised constructions, irrespective of the religious identity of those involved. Opposition parties and critics, however, have accused authorities of selectively targeting properties belonging to Muslims.
Abdullah also accused sections of the mainstream media of acting as "paid mouthpieces" of the ruling establishment.
He alleged that financial incentives and pressure from those in power had compromised editorial independence, adding that journalists critical of the government faced police summons and intimidation.
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