Farooq Abdullah says PM Modi dividing nation to stay in power

Srinagar, May 15 (PTI) Accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of trying to divide the nation to stay in power, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah said the PM should remember he may not be in power in the future but the country will survive.

Speaking to reporters after a public rally in Shangus area of Anantnag in south Kashmir, Abdullah said, “We have to live together. We have to save the nation. We have to work together for a better future. He (Modi) is trying to divide the nation for his chair.

“Unfortunately, chair doesn’t stay, the nation survives. What nation he is trying to make is going to be destructive,” Abdullah said.

Asked about allegations against him that he was playing the religious card, the NC president said, “I am not playing religious card. Our religion teaches us good things. No religion is bad. It is people who are bad, who use it badly.”

“What is Modi doing? Does he not go to Ram temple and stay there? “What is he trying to show? Is he not creating that disturbance, that hatred? Is Ram only for Hindus? Ram wasn’t only for Hindus, Ram was vishwa’s (the world’s) Ram. He belongs to all,” the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said.

On the fire incident at the income tax office in Delhi, the NC leader said the BJP wants to hide the truth because they know they are losing the elections.

“Yes, it has been (set on fire). Did you not see that? You should see that. It (video) has become viral, especially that place where all the files on their leaders and their computers were. Why were they burnt? Because they know that they are losing and tomorrow, these things will be used against them,” he said.

A massive fire broke out at the Income Tax CR Building at ITO in central Delhi Tuesday afternoon, killing an I-T officer.

The fire department said it suspected that the fire occurred due to a short circuit in the air conditioner but the actual cause will be ascertained only after a forensic report.

Earlier, Abdullah in his speech alleged that the Modi government lied about shooting down Pakistani jets during Balakot strikes.

“They said they did Balakot strikes and downed jets there. It was our own jet which was downed. The US said none of their (Pakistan) jets was downed. They lie so much. They tell lies every day, every minute,” the former Union minister claimed.