National Conference Vice President, Omar Abdullah on Monday reacted angrily to Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel’s comments apparently linking the former J&K CM’s release from nearly nine months of detention to the revolt by Sachin Pilot against Congress government in Rajasthan.
Taking to Twitter to express his anger, Omar said he would be taking legal action against the Chhattisgarh Chief Minister for his comments made during an interview to a prominent English newspaper.
“I am fed up of the downright malicious and false allegation that what Sachin Pilot is doing is somehow linked to my or my father’s release from detention earlier this year. Enough is enough. Mr @bhupeshbaghel will be hearing from my lawyers,” he said.
He also tagged Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Randeep Singh Surjewala and the Congress party in his tweet.
Minutes after Omar’s tweet, Baghel made attempts to downplay his controversial remarks and tweeted, “Please do not try to turn this tragic demise of democracy into an opportune moment @OmarAbdullah ji. The ‘allegation’ was only a question asked, and we will keep asking it, as will the country.”
Omar retorted angrily, “You can send your answer to my lawyers. This is what is wrong with the @INCIndia today, you don’t know your friends from your opponents. This is why you people are in the mess you are in. Your “question” was malicious and will not go uncontested.”
Baghel was quoted by the newspaper saying that “…And as far as Sachin Pilot is concerned, not that I have been tracking the Rajasthan events so closely, but it does make one curious why Omar Abdullah was released? He and Mehbooba Muftiji were booked under the same Sections of the law, while she is still languishing, he is out. Is it because Mr. Abdullah is brother-in-law of Sachin Pilot?”
Pilot is married to Omar Abdullah’s sister Sara Abdullah.
The National Conference also issued a statement expressing “strong objection” to Baghel’s statement, saying it has “maliciously suggested” that the release of Omar from preventive detention was somehow related to Pilot’s revolt or the present political situation unravelling in Rajasthan.
“The party unequivocally rejects such malicious, false and politically motivated statements that are used for convenient political posturing,” the statement said, adding it was “false and scurrilous” and defamatory to the reputation of Omar as well.
The party said it was a public knowledge that Omar was released after he had approached Supreme Court challenging his illegal order of detention.
“Given the indefensible nature of the illegal detention order, the same was revoked by the government during the course of the proceedings before the Supreme Court,” the statement said, adding “we have taken cognizance of the libelous statement of Mr Baghel and we are presently in the process of consulting our lawyers and shall be initiating appropriate legal action against him.”