Addressing a press conference, National Conference (NC) leader Omar Abdullah said on Thursday, November 22 that his party backed rival People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in staking claim to form a government in Jammu and Kashmir to save the state from its “current mess” and uncertainty.
Earlier on Wednesday, November 21, after the Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik dissolved the state assembly, a war of words played out between Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) general secretary Ram Madhav and Abdullah after Madhav had remarked that NC’s alliance with the PDP was formed at Pakistan’s behest.
PDP&NC boycotted local body polls last month because they had instructions from across the border.Probably they had fresh instructions from across the border to come together & form govt.What they did prompted Guv to look into the whole issue: Ram Madhav on J&K assembly dissolved pic.twitter.com/f0wPQbzqrD
— ANI (@ANI) November 22, 2018
To this, the former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir retorted, “Either prove this or be man enough to apologise. Don’t practice shoot and scoot politics.”
I dare you @rammadhavbjp ji to prove your allegation. You have RAW, NIA & IB at your command (CBI too is your parrot) so have the guts to place evidence in the public domain. Either prove this or be man enough to apologise. Don’t practice shoot & scoot politics. https://t.co/KEbOo0z6O2
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) November 22, 2018
When Madhav tried to downplay his statement, Abdullah criticised Madhav’s tactics and wrote, “No, misplaced attempts at humour won’t work. You have claimed my party has been acting at the behest of Pakistan. I dare you to prove it!.”
No, misplaced attempts at humour won’t work. You HAVE claimed my party has been acting at the behest of Pakistan. I dare you to prove it! Place the evidence of your allegation of NC boycott of ULB polls at Pak behest in public domain. It’s an open challenge to you & your Govt. https://t.co/7cumKwKxuM
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) November 22, 2018
In his press conference on Thursday, Abdullah told ANI that Madhav had disrespected sacrifices of NC party workers “who refused to dance at Pakistan’s instructions and died.”
It's unfortunate that a senior BJP leader has said we have got instructions from Pakistan.I challenge Ram Madhav sahab&his associates to prove this with evidence. You are disrespecting sacrifices of my colleagues who refused to dance at Pakistan's instructions&died: Omar Abdullah pic.twitter.com/w51vlZLJVH
— ANI (@ANI) November 22, 2018
He added, “You cannot undermine the sacrifices made by National Conference workers in protecting the sovereignty of this country. He (Ram Madhav) must apologise.”
Also Read: How Congress, NC And PDP Checkmated Modi, Shah And Doval In Jammu And Kashmir
(With PTI inputs)