NEW DELHI, Mar 25:
Training his guns on Narendra Modi, Union Minister Farooq Abdullah today accused him of being a “dictator” and thinking only of “self promotion” and not the country.
“He (Modi) can make his party President (Rajnath Singh) bow and yesterday’s tweets explains that completely. His autocratic way of functioning will harm the BJP as well as the country,” Abdullah, National Conference president, who will be contesting from Srinagar Parliamentary seat, said.
He was referring to the tweets of Rajnath yesterday, “Time For Change, Time For BJP. Abki Baar, Bhajapa Sarkar (This time BJP Government)” which was changed in 33 minutes to “Ab Ki Baar, Modi Sarkar (Time for a Modi Government).”
The Union Minister said that Modi was being supported by RSS. “I don’t think that my party will accept Modi and I can only hope that secular India will not go the communal way,” he said.
Abdullah also made it clear that he will be serving the people of the State after this election and may not join the Government at the Centre in case the UPA forms the Government.
“The future is my son (Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah). He should also have a stint at the Centre and not remain confined to the state politics only,” Abdullah said in an interview here.
So in case UPA-III comes to power, would it mean a change of guard at the State, he was asked. “I am not commenting on any hypothetical situation. Let it happen and we will take stock of the situation and take a decision in the interest of the people,” he responded.
On the political scene at the national level, Abdullah said it was a one man show completely overshadowing the BJP as a party. “Its Modi, Modi everywhere and those who do not fall in line are quickly shown the door with Jaswant Singh being the latest example,” he said.
Agreeing with Jaswant Singh’s statement that BJP’s decision-making process was similar to the arrogance of the Emergency era, Abdullah said, “only an insider can rightly define the manner in which the party is functioning. He (Modi) is already functioning as a dictator.”
“A party is known by the way it respects its seniors and we have seen how Modi has done it. He will soon realise that old is gold,” the Union Minister for New and Renewable energy said.
Abdullah also sought to put all speculation at rest about NC aligning with NDA if it comes to power, saying and his party will not be part of NDA in any form.
“Even if there is a change of leadership (NDA comes to power), National Conference will not be a part of it. We are happy with the UPA,” he said.
On allegations of Modi’s role in 2002 riots and that he had been given a clean chit by a magistrate, Abdullah said, “Let’s not get into this. The matter is pending in higher courts so what clean chit are we talking about.
“Besides this, I believe in the justice of Almighty. He will do justice one day Inshallah,” he said.
He said Muslims, as a minority community, were comfortable in secular India and always feared fascist forces. “Every riot engineered by communal forces have left Muslims scared across the length and breadth of this country and, God fearing, if such communal forces come to power, it may instil more fear and only fear.”
Abdullah, who will turn 77 later this year, also asked his state’s main opposition PDP to take off the mask of being well wishers of the people of the State. “Statements of their senior leaders show that they have already entered into an understanding with the BJP.”
The PDP, all these years, has been busy in engineering a misunderstanding between National Conference and Congress and finally when every such effort failed “the PDP decided to go with the BJP. They don’t mind joining hands with anyone for their greed for power,” he said. (PTI)
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