SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday described the legal notice served on him by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as a “mark of respect”, alleging that the party had chosen to pursue a political dispute through the courts instead of responding politically. He also announced that the National Conference (NC) would initiate legal proceedings against BJP leaders over what he termed defamatory and baseless allegations against the party and its leadership.
Addressing reporters at the National Conference headquarters in Srinagar, Omar Abdullah said he had received an electronic copy of the legal notice and viewed it as evidence that he remained “a political force they cannot ignore”.
“I have received an electronic copy of the legal notice. I consider it a great honour because I am probably the only politician in Jammu and Kashmir who has received such a love letter from the BJP. I consider it a mark of respect because it tells me that I am a political force they cannot ignore,” he said.
The Chief Minister said he had deliberately made his earlier remarks on a political platform with the expectation of a political response from the BJP, but alleged that the party had instead chosen to take the matter to court.
“I could have made the same statement inside the Assembly under privilege, where it could not have been challenged outside. But I didn’t. I made the point on a political stage expecting the BJP to respond politically. They have chosen not to. They take political fights and hide behind the courts. They would rather settle political scores in court,” he said.
Omar Abdullah said the National Conference would now adopt the same legal approach against BJP leaders who, according to him, had repeatedly made unfounded allegations against the party.
“For the last few months, senior BJP leaders have levelled baseless and slanderous allegations against the National Conference and its leadership. We have been fighting them politically. From now on, we will begin the process of sending legal notices to one particular BJP leader and a few others. Let us see where this process goes,” he said.
Referring to the National Conference’s proposed protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, the Chief Minister said the party was awaiting permission from the Delhi Police.
“We have been informed that permission usually takes five days. We are following it up and expect to hear from Delhi Police by tomorrow or Wednesday morning,” he added.
