On Tuesday (26th December), National Conference (NC) leader Farooq Abdullah courted controversy after he claimed that Kashmir would become Gaza if talks with Pakistan were not resumed by the Indian government.
Abdullah alleged, “Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had said that we can change our friends but not our neighbours. If we remain friendly with our neighbours, both will progress. PM Modi also said that war is not an option now and the matters should be resolved through dialogue.”
“Where is the dialogue? Nawaz Sharif is about to become the Prime Minister of Pakistan, and they are saying they are ready to hold talks with India. What is the reason behind India not being ready to talk?” he brazened out.
#WATCH | National Conference MP Farooq Abdullah says, "Atal Bihari Vajpayee had said that we can change our friends but not our neighbours. If we remain friendly with our neighbours, both will progress. PM Modi also said that war is not an option now and the matters should be… pic.twitter.com/EcPx9B70jJ
— ANI (@ANI) December 26, 2023
While continuing his fearmongering about the state of affairs in the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Farooq Abdullah claimed, “If we do not find a solution through dialogue, we will meet the same fate as Gaza and Palestine, which are being bombed by Israel.”
The controversial remark of the Nation Conference leader comes days after five Indian soldiers were martyred and two suffered injuries during a terror attack on two Army vehicles in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district.
According to reports, the Army is planning to send more troops to Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch-Rajouri sector to combat terrorist activities in the aftermath of the terror attack. There also is a plan to strengthen the area’s counter-terrorist grid by increasing troop strength.