J&K: BJP's Tarun Chugh accuses 'Abdullahs & Muftis' of destruction of Kashmiri Pandits

Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) national general secretary and Jammu and Kashmir in-charge, Tarun Chugh on Sunday accused National Conference (NC) supremo Farooq Abdullah of “dual politics.” The BJP leader lashed out at the NC chief for his “chameleon conduct” and stated that the latter was playing dual politics after destroying the Hindus in the Union Territory. He went on to accuse the “Abdullahs and Muftis” of giving shelter to the militants in J&K.

Tarun Chugh, in an official statement, alleged that the Abdullah family engineered the destruction of Kashmiri pandits in Jammu and Kashmir. He accused them of doing it for political gains and further ridiculed Farooq Abdullah for his “crocodile tears.” Chugh said, “By saying that attack on our Pandit brothers is a direct attack on the soul of Kashmir, Abdullah is rubbing salt on the souls of lakhs of Kashmiri Pandits who had to leave Jammu and Kashmir and sacrifice their lives when the Abdullahs ruled the state.”

“If the Abdullahs and Muftis had not given shelter to the militants and had not encouraged them, and the Pakistan ISI agents, the Kashmiri Pandits would not have fled Kashmir,” he further added. Chugh went on to state that the Kashmiri pandits were also ‘as much Kashmiris as Abdullahs and Muftis’. “But the way Kashmiri pandits were thrown out of Jammu and Kashmir, it would always be a black chapter in the history of India,” Chugh said, adding that Abdullahs and Muftis must apologise to the nation.

BJP slams Omar Abdullah for politicising Kashmiri Pandit deaths

Responding sharply over the recent statements by the former J&K Chief Minister and NC vice-president Omar Abdullah where he was seen politicising the killing of Kashmiri Pandits in the valley, former deputy CM and BJP leader Kavinder Gupta has called it his "frustration," further hitting out at the NC as well as Congress. 

Addressing media on Sunday, Kavinder Gupta, while asserting that BJP stood with the Kashmiri Pandits since 1989 when migration started, said that it has become their support system. Furthermore, slamming the NC leader over his controversial statements, Gupta said-

"Migration within the country was unfortunate and happened during Congress and NC era. Kashmiri Pandits never supported Anti Nationals and you stood with Pakistan, Hurriyat. Then how can they choose you when you played a role in their exodus?" he questioned further calling Abdullah's statements as their "frustration". 

Notably, this came after NC leader Omar Abdullah just a day before was seen attempting to try "vote bank politics" over the targeted killing of Kashmiri Pandits where he refrained from mentioning Pakistani terrorists. Abdullah who was speaking to the party workers in the border town of Pooch made a direct attack on the BJP over the killing of the Kashmiri Pandit government employee, Rahul Bhat, and said that the community used to vote for BJP and this is why such attacks are happening. PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti had also slammed the BJP over the death of Bhat and blamed the Centre for the terror attack. 

(With ANI inputs)

Image: ANI