NEW DELHI, Apr 27:
BJP today hit back at National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah for his remarks that communalism was not acceptable, saying that the country does not need a certificate from the Union Minister to become secular.
“Neither the country nor Jammu and Kashmir need a certificate from Farooq Abdullah to become secular. The actual matter of worry is the corrupt Government run in Jammu and Kashmir by Abdullah and his son (Omar),” BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said.
His reaction came after Abdullah, also a former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister said in Srinagar that people should pray to God to “save us from communal forces so that we can move forward. India cannot become communal. If it becomes communal, then Kashmir will not remain with India. Communalism is not acceptable to Kashmiris.”
Attacking UPA ally National Conference, Prasad said good governance is the “biggest casualty” in Jammu and Kashmir for which Abdullah and his Government are responsible.
“We would like to remind him that when he was the Chief Minister there, there was an increase in militancy in the State because good governance was a casualty.”
Asked to respond to Abdullah’s statement that those who vote for BJP should “drown in sea”, Prasad said he would not comment on the “illogical” comment.
“I think neither will his party or the people of the State will take him seriously”.
The NC chief during a poll rally at Khanyar in Srinagar took a dig at BJP leader Griraj Singh and VHP’s Praveen Togadia, saying “they say those who do not vote for Modi should go to Pakistan. (I say) Those who vote for Modi should drown in the sea.”
In the rally, Abdullah said that communalism is not acceptable to the people of Kashmir and they will not remain with India if the country becomes communal.
“Pray to God to save us from communal forces so that we can move forward. India cannot become communal. If it becomes communal, then Kashmir will not remain with India. Communalism is not acceptable to Kashmiris,” the NC chief said. (PTI)
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