Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and National Conference President Farooq Abdullah was heckled during Eid prayers at a shrine in Srinagar on Wednesday, Greater Kashmir reported.
Dozens who had gathered at the Hazratbal shrine to offer prayers shouted slogans even before the imam could begin the sermon at the Hazratbal shrine. Abdullah was heckled amid the sloganeering.
The congregation was disrupted, but Abdullah continued with his prayer, PTI reported. A video of the incident shows members of the congregation shouting “shame shame” and “Azaadi” slogans and asking for Abdullah’s removal from the mosque premises.
A group of people even tried approaching Abdullah who was seated in the front, but a few members of the congregation and security personnel formed a ring around him to stop the protestors.
Abdullah said the booing were by his “own people” who were misguided, PTI reported. “Some people were agitated but that does not mean I will escape. I have a task of keeping everyone united.” He said politicians have to face the anger of people. “I only hope these misguided youths are counselled properly.”
The congregation was reportedly upset over the former chief minister saying “Bharat mata ki jai” and “Jai hind” while paying his respect to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at an all-party prayer meeting in Delhi on Monday, reported IANS.
Abdullah praised the Vajpayee, who died on Friday, saying the former prime minister was the “king of everyone’s heart”.
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