Avinash Azad
In a blistering rebuttal to the People’s Democratic Party’s (PDP) allegations of a “backdoor deal” between the National Conference (NC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday lambasted his political adversaries for what he termed “hypocrisy of the highest order.”
Speaking to reporters after the conclusion of the budget session in Jammu, Abdullah accused the PDP of misleading the public and using diversionary tactics to cover up its own questionable political legacy. “Regarding the Wakf Board legislation that was passed, several members were visibly upset and frustrated. They wished to express their concerns and represent the emotions of the majority population of Jammu and Kashmir. Unfortunately, they weren’t given the full opportunity to speak inside the Assembly. Now, they’re trying to do outside the House what they couldn’t achieve within it,” Abdullah said.
But the most scathing part of Abdullah’s address was reserved for what he described as the PDP’s “selective outrage” and its earlier alliance with the BJP, which he blamed for inflicting deep political and social wounds on Jammu and Kashmir. “Those who once formed a coalition with the BJP and played a direct role in destabilizing this region now dare to question my integrity. These are the same people who spoke of distributing milk and toffees to mislead the youth, who handed out cricket bats as a political distraction, and dragged young people into photo-ops with central ministers. And now they have the audacity to accuse me on the floor of the House?” he said.
The Chief Minister also responded to recent social media chatter surrounding a photograph of him with senior Union Minister Kiren Rijiju at the Tulip Garden in Srinagar. The image was widely circulated by PDP supporters as alleged proof of growing ties between the NC and the BJP.
“Yes, I did take my father to the Tulip Garden two days ago. It was a coincidence that a central minister was there at the same time. He greeted me politely and requested a photo. Should I have refused? Should I have behaved rudely? I took the photo out of basic courtesy. Now, those same people who gave the BJP a political foothold in Kashmir are trying to use that moment against me,” he said.
Abdullah further challenged the PDP’s moral authority to comment on current political developments. “They have never apologized to the people of Jammu and Kashmir for the brutalities of 2016. They should first examine their own role, their ties with the BJP leadership, and the consequences of that alliance before pointing fingers at anyone else,” he asserted.
