National Conference leader Omar Abdullah on Monday reacted to Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan’s statements on the issue of release of terrorists in exchange for Rubaiya Saeed in 1989, saying he has told the truth. Rubaiya Sayeed, daughter of the then Union Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, was kidnapped by JKLF terrorists on 8 December 1989.
Omar Abdullah, former chief minister of the then Jammu and Kashmir state and Union minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led NDA government, tweeted a clip of Khan’s recent TV interview saying, “Congratulations to the Governor of Kerala.” Omar Abdullah tweeted and wrote, Arif Mohammad Khan has told the truth of what happened during the pro-BJP VP Singh government in December 1989. Facts are facts even then, they do not support the narrative created by the BJP and its ecosystem.
In TV interviews, Khan recounts the events of the day when he, along with former prime minister IK Gujral, who was the foreign minister in the VP Singh government, visited Abdullah’s Gupkar Road residence. Arif Mohammad Khan said that he (Farooq Abdullah) was against the demand of terrorists to release some of the jailed terrorists. Arif Khan further says that I immediately told him, Farooq sahab, I stand with you and I will go to any extent to support you.
Arif Khan further says that Farooq Abdullah was sidelined because there was a message to release terrorists from Delhi so that Rubaiya Saeed’s release could be secured. The government had released Sheikh Abdul Hameed, Ghulam Nabi Butt, Noor Mohammad Kalwal, Mohammad Altaf and Mushtaq Ahmed for the safe release of Rubaiya Saeed. Five days after the release of these terrorists, Rubaiya Saeed had a safe return.