[dropcap color=”#008040″ boxed=”yes” boxed_radius=”8px” class=”” id=””]W[/dropcap]hen the flamboyant Dr Farooq Abdullah ruled the state of Jammu and Kashmir for three terms as Chief Minister and even when he occupied ‘hot seat’ in the Union government under the leadership of UPA Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, he never tinkered with the idea of reclaiming Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Last week Dr Farooq Abdullah made headlines after he dared Narendra Modi government to reclaim Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK).
He, however, remained vocal on many other contentious issues but never crossed the ‘Lakshman Rekha’.
Ditto for his son Omar Abdullah who while remaining Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir ran a successful coalition government in alliance with the Congress party for six years between 2009-2014. During the period he too never raised contentious issues nor questioned the union ministers over the way they ran their ministries.
But ever since the father-son duo of Abdullah’s are sitting in opposition they have been struggling to remain relevant and brazenly mouthing controversial statements one after the other.
Last week Dr Farooq Abdullah made headlines after he dared Narendra Modi government to reclaim Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK).
[dropcap color=”#008040″ boxed=”yes” boxed_radius=”8px” class=”” id=””]A[/dropcap]ddressing his party workers in Kishtwar in Jammu region, Abdullah had said, “Arre tumhare baap ka hai kya? Tumhare paas wo taqat nahin hai ki tum wo hissa (Pakistan-occupied Kashmir) vapas le sako (Is it the property of your forefathers? You don’t have the power to take the territory back).”
Abdullah said, “They say in parliament and there is a resolution that PoK is India’s territory.”
“It (Kashmir) is not the personal property of India so that it could make a claim over it like an inherited property of forefathers,” Farooq Abdullah said.
Following in the footprints of his father and former Union Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah working President of the National Conference Omar Abdullah Thursday raked up another controversy by claiming that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ministers were provoking Pakistan to launch terror attacks like in Jammu and Kashmir’s Nagrota town where seven soldiers were killed on Tuesday.
“The Nagrota attack is a result of provocative statements made by various ministers against Pakistan,” former state Chief Minister told reporters on the sidelines of party programme in South Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
[dropcap color=”#008040″ boxed=”yes” boxed_radius=”8px” class=”” id=””]A[/dropcap]bdullah said he disapproved of Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar’s statement that India didn’t want a war with Pakistan “but if someone looks at the country with evil eye, we will gouge his eyes out and put them back in his hand”.
He said Modi’s claim that demonetisation would end terrorism in the country was another reason for terror attacks being stepped up in Jammu and Kashmir.
He said if such a statement is made by the Defence Minister then “we should expect attacks like Nagrota”.
He said Modi’s claim that demonetisation would end terrorism in the country was another reason for terror attacks being stepped up in Jammu and Kashmir.
The BJP immediately lashed out at him with party spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao saying Omar’s statement was “completely irresponsible.”
BJP’s Siddharth Nath Singh called the statement “outlandish”, adding that the NC leader was “conveniently” trying to put the blame for the Nagrota attack on Indian leaders, especially the Defence Minister.
Even Dr Farooq Abdullah had received brickbats for questioning India’s legal right on Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
[dropcap color=”#008040″ boxed=”yes” boxed_radius=”8px” class=”” id=””]T[/dropcap]he BJP spokesperson had made it clear, “PoK is an integral part of India. Parliament has passed a resolution regarding this. Farooq Abdullah has also affirmed his faith in the resolution while speaking in Parliament. But, now we don’t understand why is he singing a different tune.”
A section of hardliners in the BJP even went on to say that “Farooq Abdullah has insulted all those who sacrificed their lives for Kashmir.”
Dr Abdullah had even claimed,”Pakistan is one of the stakeholders of the Kashmir issue, which even India has accepted.”
Questioning Modi government’s Pakistan policy and strategy to deal with dissent in the Valley Farooq Abdullah had also stated, “Jammu and Kashmir had acceded to India on three subjects of defence, foreign affairs and communication, which have been re emphasised by the former Sadr-e-Riyasat Dr Karan Singh in Parliament recently.”
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The problem of POK is not only due to Nehru but equally to Sheikh Abdullah, the sheikh considered the POK area ungovernable/ unmanageable and problematic for his family hegemony; thus he was happy when Nehru restrained advancing Indian forces and referred the matter to the UN and later became the unchallenged leader of Indian Kashmir.
It comes as no surprise therefore that the present progeny would like the POK cauldron to simmer as they know very well if Allah willing POK is liberated this family will become pariah over night.
I feel Mr Paniggrahi, you are absolutely right POK. ra
Only hope for Nehru Gandhi Congress/Abdullahs/Jehadis is that Pakistanis win.
Abdullah family actions are as expected- No surprise