National Congress defends Farooq, says speech not seditious

SRINAGAR: The National Conference, facing all-round fire, including from ally Congress, over its president Dr Farooq Abdullah’s statement praising Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts on Kashmir, on Monday came out in his defence, saying his speech was not seditious and accusing the BJP of taking part of his speech out of context for political mileage.“Those who have presented Dr Farooq Abdullah’s speech in the wrong manner need to listen to the entire speech. He spoke about the raiders of 1947, Pakistan’s atrocities in Kashmir and how the National Conference fought the raiders,” NC spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq said.

He said he was surprised that 99 per cent of people commenting on Abdullah’s speech have not heard it completely. He claimed the NC president spoke about how Pakistan destroyed Jammu & Kashmir.“There is nothing seditious in the speech. Listen to it in its entirety and you will realise that it is not seditious…a small part of his speech was picked out to play politics across the country,” the spokesperson said.Sadiq said no one can question the NC’s patriotism as hundreds of party workers had been killed by terrorists. “We do not need a certificate of nationalism from BJP,” he said.On Saturday, Abdullah had said Pakistan had “saved” Kashmiris by keeping the issue alive at international forums. “If you do not remain (committed to NC), you will be erased. Even our identity will disappear. Nothing will be left. They are silent today because there is noise in the world and our neighbour is constantly behind it. Everywhere they say ‘the decision regarding Kashmir has not been made’. That is what is saving us…,” he told a meeting of NC workers in Baramulla.