SRINAGAR: Peoples Democratic Party President and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Monday termed the summoning of Dr Farooq Abdullah by Enforcement Directorate’ government of India’s nervousness towards the collective fight of J&K political parties for the restoration of Article 370, saying the move won’t in the least blunt our collective resolve to fight for our rights.
Taking to a social networking site, Twitter, Mehbooba wrote: “ED’s sudden summon to Farooq sahab displays the extent of GOIs nervousness about mainstream parties in J&K fighting as one unit. Also reeks of political vendetta & wont in the least blunt our collective resolve to fight for our rights.”
ED’s sudden summon to Farooq sahab displays the extent of GOIs nervousness about mainstream parties in J&K fighting as one unit. Also reeks of political vendetta & wont in the least blunt our collective resolve to fight for our rights. https://t.co/jasXiiZqH7
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) October 19, 2020
Dr Farooq whose statements have been recorded in the case multiple times since 2018, was summoned again to the ED’s Srinagar office for another round of questioning.
The move came days after he along with Mehbooba Mufti, who was recently released after 14 months of detention, and some other political leaders in Jammu and Kashmir came together on the issue of Article 370.
The CBI has already filed a charge sheet against DR Farooq, former JKCA general secretary Saleem Khan, treasurer Ahsan Ahmad Mirza and a senior J&K Bank executive, Bashir Ahmad Misgar.
Meanwhile, the National Conference in a statement said that BJP after failing to politically fight party president Dr Farooq Abdullah has resorted to employing its agencies for the task.
In a statement, a party spokesperson said, “The ED summon to Dr Farooq Abdullah is clearly the result of the unity that Dr Sahib has been able to forge among mainstream political parties in J&K. This is the price one faces when opposed to BJP’s ideology and divisive politics. Recent history is a witness to how BJP has been employing coercive and intimidative measures through various departments to target opposition leaders across the country. The recent ED summon to Dr Farooq Abdullah is a case in point.”
The statement further added, “The timing of the recent summon is very clear. His previous summons were just before Aug 5 last year and today’s summon comes within days of forming the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration of which Dr Farooq Abdullah has taken a lead.”
“Dr Farooq Abdullah continues to maintain his innocence and will cooperate with the authorities in what is nothing but a witch hunt,” the statement said.
NC vice-president Omar Abdullah also tweeted on the issue: “The party will be responding to this ED summons shortly. This is nothing less than political vendetta coming days after the formation of the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration. To set the record straight no raids are being conducted at Dr Sahib’s residence.”
The party will be responding to this ED summons shortly. This is nothing less then political vendetta coming days after the formation of the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration. To set the record straight no raids are being conducted at Dr Sahib’s residence.
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) October 19, 2020
