Shopian, May 6: Former Chief Minister and National Conference President Farooq Abdullah on Monday reaffirmed his stance on resolving the issues through negotiations.
“It is not the first time that I have said that. I have been saying it for years and the Prime Minister himself is on record saying that wars are over and we have to find negations,”Dr Farooq Abdullah told reporters in south Kashmir’s Shopian district.
He was referring to his recent remarks over the Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s statement that “PoK will be merged with India.” NC President stated that he was being targeted unfairly. “What is Farooq Abdullah to be blamed for. Today all the attacks are on me,” he said.
In response to a question about the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement that Pakistan wanted Rahul Gandhi to become the Prime Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah said that India is a free country and it did not go by others’ say.
“Pakistan does not hold India in its pocket. Indians are free people and we decide on our own,” NC President said.
Earlier while addressing a public rally, Dr Farooq Abdullah said that today was the question of preserving the identity of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
“Today it is the question of whether our identity could survive or not,” he said. “We are 20 crore Muslims living in India and our ancestors are buried in this land and yet they consider us as infiltrators,” said the NC President said.
He said that they talked to China several times that occupied the India territory, but when he asked them to talk to Pakistan he was criticised severely. Dr Farooq bdullah said that the National Conference was contesting the elections for defending the rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
He said that the INDIA bloc was made to defend the constitution that guarantees equal rights to the people.
He also criticised the world including the Arab countries for maintaining silence over the massacre of Palestinian people.
Prominent among others who addressed the rally included Aga Syed Ruhullah, Sheikh Mohammad Rafi and Showkat Ganai.