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| Congress leaders turn mute as NC President's statement on secession ruffles many feathers | | Sham remains non-committal on Farooq's remarks | | Kunal Shrivatsa
JAMMU, Apr 28: National Conference (NC) President and the coalition candidate for Srinagar Lok Sabha seat Dr. Farooq Abdullah's warning that Kashmir could part ways in case a 'communal' dispensation comes to power at centre has created a furore in political circles at state and national levels.
However, National Conference's alliance partner in the state government the Congress party has by and large remained mute on the controversy.
Finding itself in a tight spot over the reported remarks of Dr. Abdullah, the state Congress that has an alliance with NC, it seems is not at all comfortable with what senior NC leader has stated.
When this scribe contacted few of the state Congress leaders in an attempt to ascertain their view point on the controversy, they either avoided it or preferred not to make direct reference of the statement, in nutshell; the Congressmen were not at ease in responding.
While senior Congress leader and Minister for PHE Sham Lal Sharma did not say anything on the issue his colleague and spokesperson of Pradesh Congress Committee, MLC Ravinder Sharma did try to clear the doubts surrounding the controversy.
After this scribe established contact with Sham Lal Sharma and posed query regarding Dr. Abdullah's remarks, pat come the reply from the senior Minister, "No comments… We are in the election process."
However, MLC Ravinder Sharma said that in his opinion Dr. Farooq Abdullah's remarks had several interpretations and it could be commented better only by the senior NC leader but as a prudent Indian it could not be interpreted to the extent of separation.
"The remark of Farooq Saheb was not a call of separation or secession from the Union of India… What I can understand is that he was expressing his concern for the ongoing polarization and communal atmosphere in the country," said Ravinder Sharma.
On expected lines a widespread condemnation of Dr. Abdullah's statement poured from across the political spectrum of the state as Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP), Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Bajrang Dal and various KP organizations demanding action against the NC leader.
It is pertinent to mention here that while addressing an election rally at Srinagar, NC patriarch Dr. Farooq Abdullah on Sunday said that Jammu & Kashmir would not remain a part of India if the country becomes communal, while asking those who vote for Narendra Modi to "drown themselves." |
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