Srinagar. National Conference (NC) president and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah on Sunday stirred a controversy when he said the army was in cahoots with terrorists infiltrating the country. The senior politician alleged that there was collusion between security forces and terrorists and that was the reason terrorists were managing to enter India despite heavy deployment on the borders.
Abdullah said, “We have a massive military deployment on our borders, arguably the largest in the world. Yet, despite this massive presence, terrorists are infiltrating into Indian territory. Drugs are smuggled. How can this happen on the border even after a large deployment of the army? They are all involved.”
Abdullah was addressing his party workers in Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir. After a ruckus over his comment, Abdullah clarified that he only wanted an answer to how hundreds of drugs and terrorists are entering the country. He said, “Someone’s responsibility should be fixed. The border is a central government subject and our Home Minister and Defense Minister should speak.”
He later spoke to news agency ANI, saying, “How did the terrorists, who are around 200-300, come? Where did they come from? Is anyone responsible? Who is betraying whom? Who is dying – our colonels, majors and soldiers. How is all this happening? The central government should answer to the entire country.”
Meanwhile, the Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) led by Ghulam Nabi Azad objected to Farooq Abdullah’s remarks and said the allegations levelled by the NC chief were “very unfortunate”. DPAP spokesperson Ashwani Handa said, “Farooq Abdullah is a very senior politician and it is very unfortunate that he has questioned the bravery of the Indian Army. It is like questioning the sacrifice of the brave soldiers of the Indian Army who give their supreme sacrifice for the country.”
Tags: Farooq Abdullah, indian army, jammu kashmir, Pakistani Terrorist
FIRST PUBLISHED : August 11, 2024, 22:43 IST
