National Conference president Farooq Abdullah Monday alleged that the government of India ordered air strikes across the Line of Control with the “sole purpose” of winning the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party of “failing on all fronts”,Farooq said it was anticipated that “there would be a fight or skirmish withPakistan before the general elections “so that Prime Minister Narendra Modibecomes some kind of an avatar, without whom India cannot survive”.
“This surgical strike (air strike) was done only for thepurpose of election…totally for the election. We lost an aircraft worth croresof rupees. Be thankful that the IAF pilot (wing commander Abhinandan Varthaman)survived and returned from Pakistan with respect,” Abdullah told reportershere.
In a pre-dawn exercise on February 26, the Indian Air Forcesaid it pounded Jaish-e-Mohammed’s biggest training camp in Balakot across theLoC. The air strike came in response to an attack in Pulwama on February 14that left 40 CRPF personnel dead. JeM had claimed the attack.
Abdullah said: “In the Parliament, we knew they have failedon all other things and that there would be a fight or a skirmish with Pakistanin Kashmir so that he (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) becomes some kind of an’avatar’ without whom India cannot survive. But I want to tell him that whetherhe or I live or not, India will live and move forward.”
The NC president said an atmosphere of fear was beingcreated to “help the BJP in the polls.”
“They want to create an atmosphere of fear. There would beno war. The whole world is watching. This government is only using a seniorofficer for winning the election, the officer whom they got by superseding manyothers and who is now dancing to their tunes. Otherwise, there is no danger,”he said, without naming the “officer”.
“This atmosphere of fear that they have created in thecountry, that without him anything will happen, I want to tell him (Modi) thatyou are not a God and would never be,” he said.
Abdullah said there is no other way than to talk to Pakistanover the Kashmir issue.
“They (New Delhi) have brought this (Kashmir) intointernational limelight. Several countries are now involved in making India andPakistan to talk over Kashmir and they will have to engage themselves as it isthe only way forward,” he said.
Asked about the election commission of India’s decision todelay the assembly polls in the state, Abdullah said he feared some “mischief”by the Centre in J&K.
“I think they must have thought of doing some mischief,that’s why they delayed the polls. I do not understand that when thousands ofpeople took part in the panchayat and municipal polls, what danger they thinkthere is now when forces are present in larger numbers than they were. And theyare present in every nook and corner of the state,” he said.
The NC president said all parties are in favour ofsimultaneous polls and now the public should understand what their motive is.
“If we unite, their designs will fail. We should prepare forthat, and not give a chance to the Centre for destruction. So, we all shouldstand to confront them. Where is the mighty government of India which cannotconduct an election here? If this is not surrender, what is?” he said.
He said if the EC is saying that the environment is conducive for Lok Sabha polls, then why is it not conducive for the state polls. “Then they should not conduct the parliament polls.
I am surprised over what they are saying. They are contradicting themselves. It is unfortunate that our EC has become the election commission of the government. A political EC. There is no independence. I hope there is a new government which gives full independence to the EC,” he said.
Asked if his party was thinking of a pre-poll alliance withthe Congress, Abdullah said, “We have not yet decided on that. We will seethat”.
He welcomed the ECI’s direction on keeping forces away fromelectioneering.
“It is good. I have seen in my state that soldiers press thebutton of machines in far-flung areas and I hope the forces are kept at baythis time and they will only be used for security purposes. This should be afree and fair election,” he said.
He said the whole theatrics of warmongering following thePulwama attack was “aimed to give Modi-led government an escape route”.
The forthcoming elections are, without any doubt, betweenthe people of India and Narendra Modi, he said.
People will no more fall prey to his catchwords, he said, adding: “Surgical strikes are not something new; they have been going on in the border areas. However this government is milking the move to the extreme to hide the grim tale of misrule unleashed on the nation.”
In response to a question, Abdullah said he will contest the upcoming parliament elections from Srinagar.
“I will contest from Srinagar constituency,” he said. “Ourparty will ask the people to elect us to put up a strong front for theprotection of the interests of state and its people from the machinations offorces who are persistent in their efforts to destroy the special status of ourstate.”