We will contest elections on our own: Farooq
Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Feb 15: Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah this evening said the National Conference is part of the Congress-led INDIA bloc, hours after his father and party president Dr Farooq Abdullah said the party “will contest elections on its own”.
As senior Abdullah’s assertion of fighting the forthcoming elections on its own was a major setback to the Congress-led INDIA bloc, his son Omar Abdullah immediately came out firefighting by clearing the party stand.
The junior Abdullah said the NC will remain part of INDIA bloc and is, in fact, in talks with the Congress for three of six Lok Sabha seats in Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
“We were part of INDIA bloc and still are… things have been taken out of context. The main idea of the grouping is to defeat the BJP, for there is no point in sailing in two boats,” he said.
Earlier in the day, his father who heads the biggest regional party of J&K, announced it would contest the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections and possible Assembly polls in the Union Territory “on its own”.
“Elections will happen and I think both Assembly and Parliament elections will be held together. As far as seat sharing is concerned, I want to make it clear that the NC will contest elections on its own. There are no two views about it,” the senior Abdullah told reporters here.
The decision of the National Conference also signals an end to the People’s Alliance on Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), which was formed ahead of the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. Earlier, the regional grouping had indicated that it will fight elections jointly.
Dr Abdullah welcomed the forthcoming visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Jammu and Kashmir next week. “The Prime Minister is coming, it is a good thing. He is going to announce some projects”.
On the Supreme Court ruling on electoral bonds, the senior Abdullah while welcoming the verdict said people have a right to know where the money for political parties is coming from.
“May the Almighty make this happen that the Government accepts this (verdict) and the political parties follow this direction to declare how much money they got and from where they got it.”
“I am myself under the ED scanner. I will appear before them, I am not scared of the ED or anyone else. Let them do what they want. If they think they can finish off the National Conference by jailing Farooq Abdullah, it will not happen because the National Conference is a movement,” he said.
On the farmers’ protest, he hoped that better sense prevails over the Centre and a resolution is found to the issue.
“When the farm bills were brought in, the Opposition made noise that a select committee should be formed and the lacunae in these bills be addressed. But they brought the bills on the back of a brute majority. What was the result? Nearly 750 farmers were martyred. When the UP elections were around the corner, they took back all three bills.
“Now, general elections are round the corner and today the farmers are again protesting. I pray that better sense prevails on them (Centre) and no innocent farmer gets killed,” he said.
On the chaotic situation in Pakistan and whether it can affect India, Farooq said a “stable Pakistan is needed for stable India. Unstable Pakistan is not good for us”.
He condemned the killing of labourers from Punjab by terrorists here last week.
“It is unfortunate that innocent people who have nothing to do with politics are being killed. But the one who killed them knew what would happen to their families. Does any religion allow killing innocents? Religion does not permit killing even the guilty. That is the job of the law. So, I condemn it,” he said.
He said the Government which introduced the Electronic Voting Machines in India should not have done so as it had the potential to be manipulated.
“Yes, EVMs can be tampered with. When EVMs were brought here (J&K), we were in the Government. Mohammad Shafi (Uri) asked them if there was a possibility of manipulation. Initially, the officer was silent but on being questioned again, he admitted that it can be done.
“The Government at that time should not have introduced these machines if they can snatch the rights of the people. What would have happened? The election results would have come after two months,” he added
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