'She Used To Say Modi Will Resolve Issues Of Kashmir': Omar Abdullah Takes Aim At Mehbooba Mufti

National Conference vice president and former Chief Minister of Jammu And Kashmir, Omar Abdullah launched a scathing attack on PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti and claimed that she was an ally of BJP when she was in power and always praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "When Mehbooba Mufti was an ally of the BJP and was in power, she always praised PM Modi. Why is she now opposing the BJP?" said Abdullah.

All is not well in the India Bloc in Kashmir. Both the NC and PDP, members of the India Bloc, are targeting each other. Omar Abdullah, continuing his election campaign, targeted PDP President and Anantnag-Rajouri candidate Mehbooba Mufti, saying, "When Mehbooba Mufti was in power, she continuously praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and used to say he would solve all issues, but no issue has been resolved."

Addressing supporters at multiple places in Shopian and Kulgam districts, Omar said, "When assembly elections were announced in 2015, the People's Democratic Party started talking with the Bharatiya Janata Party over government formation. However, the NC warned Mufti Mohammad Sayeed not to make the mistake of joining hands with the BJP and that we would unconditionally support you."

"We told them that we don't need to be part of the government but will support you unconditionally to form the government for a full six years, but they used to laugh at us, saying that the NC just wants to stay in power," Omar claimed. "And when the BJP backed out from the alliance, we again offered unconditional support to the PDP and requested the then Governor not to allow horse-trading here," he added.

Recalling the past, Omar said, "In 2018, Mehbooba sent Altaf Bukhari to us, and he was their CM candidate at that time. We again offered them unconditional support. Our intentions were genuine and selfless," he added.

In an aggressive speech targeting Mehbooba, Omar said, "When there was destruction in Kashmir, what were you doing? When there was an opportunity for you to take care of the emotions of the people of J&K, what were you doing? At that time, you just used to praise Modi by saying that if anyone will solve the Kashmir issue in the world, that is Narendra Modi. Has he really solved our issues?"

The former CM also said that the National Conference didn't join the INDIA bloc for seats. "Some people were part of the alliance just for seat sharing, and they parted away just by saying NC is selfish. If NC was selfish, then Congress would have gone with PDP," he said.

Touching on broader issues, Omar replied to a recent PM Modi statement on Muslims, rejecting the notion that Muslims pose a threat to the Hindu majority, saying Muslims are just 14% of the country, how can they be a threat to the country.

"In the rest of the country, slogans are being raised that 80 percent Hindus are under threat because of 14 percent Muslims. How is it possible?" he asked. "Muslims have never demanded what they deserve, and there isn't anything wrong in demanding their own rights," he added.

Junior Abdullah was campaigning for NC candidate Mian Altaf, who is fighting PDP President Mehbooba Mufti in the Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary constituency, which is going to the polls on May 7, 2024.