SRINAGAR: Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir and National Conference President Farooq Abdullah criticised the Narendra Modi government’s reluctance for peace talks with Pakistan, expressing concern over the potential consequences for Kashmir.
In a press interaction on Tuesday, he warned of a situation similar to Palestine, saying, “If we do not find a solution through dialogue, we will meet the same fate as Gaza and Palestine, which are being bombed by Israel.”
Abdullah referred to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s stance on friendly relations with neighbours, quoting, “We can change our friends but not our neighbours.” He questioned the absence of dialogue despite Pakistan’s willingness, saying, “Nawaz Sharif is about to become the PM (of Pakistan) & they are saying that we are ready to talk (with India), but what is the reason why we are not ready to talk?”
In January, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed a desire for “serious and sincere talks” with PM Modi, but talks were dismissed by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in August, citing the ‘normalisation of terrorism’.
Abdullah dismissed BJP claims about the end of militancy in Jammu and Kashmir, pointing to contradictions in statements made by the Home Minister. He said that militancy is on the rise, with trained militancy entering unchecked and innocent people becoming targets.
Regarding the recent deaths of three civilians in Poonch district, Abdullah rejected the solution of shunting out army officers, calling for an investigation into the “torture” and questioning why innocent people were subjected to such treatment.
“If innocent people who have nothing to do with terrorism are killed, which India are we living in?” he said.
Abdullah concluded by expressing concern, remarking, “The hatred has spread so much that Hindus and Muslims think they are enemies of each other.”
