Attack on Badal brazen, matter of concern: Omar Abdullah

Srinagar, Dec 5 (PTI) Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday said the attack on Sukhbir Singh Badal, a Z-plus category protectee, is a matter of concern which needs to be investigated.

“I spoke to Sukhbir yesterday after the attack on him. I expressed obviously our gratefulness to almighty that he survived that attack. We spoke about the situation, obviously, some other things that he shared with me, are not for public consumption,” Abdullah told reporters here after attending the 42nd annual day of the SKIMS.

He called it a matter of concern that a former deputy chief minister, a Z-plus category protectee, could be attacked in broad daylight.

“Obviously, this needs to be looked at, why is this, how did this happen, and ensure this does not happen again in the future. Because, let us not forget, not long ago, Punjab went through a very difficult phase in the 1980s and early 1990s and God forbid we see something like that again,” the chief minister added.

On the second day of his penance at the Golden Temple on Wednesday, Badal had a narrow escape as former Khalistani terrorist Narain Singh Chaura fired a gunshot at him from a close range, but missed. Chaura was overpowered by plainclothes policemen.

Asked about surveys of mosques and shrines, Abdullah said the country is secular and everyone has a right to live freely in it.

“Our party has also talked about it. Everyone has a right to live in this country, there is a word ‘secular’ in our Constitution and until that word is there, it means that irrespective of our religion, we have a right to live freely in this country,” he said.

Abdullah also wondered if the dargahs and mosques were being targeted under a well-thought out conspiracy.

“We are not seeking appeasement, but non-appeasement does not mean you will target us. Do not target us,” he said, and urged, no one in particular, to not “victimise” Muslims.

“Going after our mosques and shrines, or our way of practising our religion, you are victimising us and this is not the India that J-K was a part of, this is not the India our founding fathers envisaged, this is not the India that has the word secular in its Constitution and until that is there, keep it secular.

“If you do not want to keep it secular, then if you can remove it through the Parliament, do it,” the National Conference leader added.