The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) President and MP from Srinagar Farooq Abdullah on Saturday during his visit to Kokernag in south Kashmir on the sidelines of his visit, Farooq questioned the double speak of the Union Government on holding of Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir.
"Centre is saying the situation has normalized in Jammu and Kashmir. One of our local IGs is saying that militancy has declined but is not over. Why this double talk? If the indices of security have improved, then what is holding them back from holding elections? First, it was security then it was the weather. Now that the weather is clear and the security situation admittedly better. What is it then? When we visited the Election Commission, we were told that the delimitation exercise and voter lists have been completed. All they are doing is manage new excuses every day to delay Assembly elections," he said.
While responding to a question on the removal of chapters relating to Mughal history from NCERT books, he said, "It's sheer mockery. What are we going to tell visitors who built the Taj Mahal, Fatehpur Sikri, and many other fascinating buildings/structures? How will you hide the architectural and cultural insignias of Mughals spread across the country? It's there to remain. People come and go, but history remains unchanged."
Farooq Abdullah batted for the unity of the Opposition and said that’s the only way to defeat them (BJP). He said, "Alliance is what we have, and we can't fight separately, the parties in centre are also thinking of coalition and I am sure there would be a great decision of fighting elections together."
Abdullah was accompanied by senior leaders of south Kashmir to commiserate with senior leader Choudhary Zaffar Ali Khatana on the demise of his brother Choudhary Amjad Ali Khatana, he expressed sympathies and condolences with the bereaved household and offered Fatiha for the deceased.
