The Bharatiya Janata Party has alleged that National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah was “taking support from terrorists” after the former chief minister said that the hanging of 2001 Parliament attack convict Adid not serve “any purpose”, reported ANI.
Guru was convicted of playing a central role in the conspiracy that led to the terror attack on Parliament on December 13, 2001. He was hanged in secret and buried within the Tihar jail premises in February 2013.
Speaking to ANI, Abdullah said on Friday: “The unfortunate thing was that the Jammu and Kashmir government had nothing to do with Afzal Guru’s execution. Otherwise, you would have had to do it with the permission of the state government, which I can tell you in no uncertain terms would not have been forthcoming.”
Following this, Kavinder Gupta, BJP leader and former Deputy Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, accused Abdullah of trying to “create a situation by taking support from terrorists”.
“What does Omar Abdullah want to solve?” asked Gupta. “If anti-national elements who hatched a conspiracy against India are given the death penalty, why do they object to this?”
He added: “They are taking support from terrorists. That is why he is speaking such language.”
This comes ahead of elections to the 90-seat Jammu and Kashmir Assembly that are scheduled to take place in three phases: September 18, September 25 and October 1, with the counting of votes scheduled for October 4.
These will be the first elections in the region since the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir. The Narendra Modi-led government abrogated Article 370 on August 5, 2019, and also bifurcated the state into two Union territories: Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
The Congress and National Conference are contesting the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections in alliance.
BJP has ‘struck a deal’ with regional parties: Abdullah
On Saturday Abdullah claimed that the BJP had “struck a deal” with some regional parties and independent candidates, reported PTI.
“…those who have struck a deal with Delhi will not fulfill your demands,” said the National Conference leader at an election rally in the Ganderbal Assembly segment. “If you need evidence for this, just look at the statement of home minister Amit Shah in Jammu yesterday.”
While releasing the BJP’s manifesto for the Assembly elections, Shah on Friday said the abrogation of Article 370 was a “historic decision” by the prime minister. He also alleged that Article 370 had driven Jammu and Kashmir’s youth to violence.
“Unfortunately, Congress silently supports the agenda of the NC [National Conference],” he added. “However, I would like to make it clear that the Article [370] is a history, and it will not be restored.”
Shah also said that there would be no government by the Peoples Democratic Party, National Conference, and Congress ruled by “dynasties”. “Rest possibilities, BJP will explore,” he said.
Also read: In Kashmir, a jailed cleric takes a shot at freedom – by trying to contest elections
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