Farooq, Mehbooba share stage at Opposition rally in Delhi
Arjun Sharma
Jammu, March 31
Despite their differences over seat allocation under INDIA bloc in the Kashmir region, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday shared the stage in New Delhi during a mega rally of the bloc.
Farooq made it clear that his party was not going to leave the alliance “till the last breath”. He also appreciated Mufti for coming to the event.
“I am happy that Mehbooba Mufti came here. I also want to say that we are with the INDIA bloc and will remain with it till our last breath. We are not going to leave the alliance,” Abdullah said.
Thousands of youth jailed
They have put thousands of youth in jail. I, Omar Abdullah, Farooq Abdullah were put in jail and the people were told that it is being done for the nation. —Mehbooba Mufti, PDP chief
will be with INDIA till last breath
I am happy that Mehbooba Mufti came here. I also want to say that we are with the INDIA bloc and will remain with it till our last breath. —Farooq Abdullah, NC president
Both the parties had traded barbs at each other recently after Mehbooba Mufti expressed desire to contest from Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency under INDI alliance but NC staked claim on the seat stating that it would contest from all the three seats of Kashmir on which it won last time. The seats include Srinagar, Baramulla and Anantnag.
It has been learnt that the Congress — as a mediator — was trying to calm the leadership of both parties.
The Opposition leaders gathered in New Delhi to show their strength ahead of elections and also to express support to the jailed Chief Minister of Delhi Arvind Kejriwal.
Abdullah said that the Constitution of the country was under attack. “You (public) should vote for the truth. You must press the button to remove the present government and bring your own government. People from all religions and regions should come together,” Abdullah said during his brief speech.
Mehbooba Mufti said that the BJP-led central government has made J&K a laboratory where tests are conducted and then implemented in other parts of the country. She was referring to the arrest of Arvind Kejriwal in a similar way that many leaders from J&K were detained after abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019.
“They have put thousands of youth in jail. I, Omar Abdullah, Farooq Abdullah were put in jail and the people were told that it is being done for the nation,” she said.
She lamented that the country was going through a “very tough time”. “No one is allowed to even tell his side of the story. “Na koi vakeel, na koi daleel (neither lawyer, nor your version is allowed) by this government. This is the amrit kaal of Kaliyug,” she said.
Appreciating Kejriwal, Mufti said that he established good schools and hospitals in Delhi. “He made electricity and water free for residents. But they (BJP) have problem with him. They also have problem with the Gandhi family,” she said. She alleged that Enforcement Directorate and Income Tax Department were being used against Opposition leaders by central government.
