Farooq, Omar Abdullah working at BJP’s behest to polarise voters: Lone

Srinagar, Apr 23 (PTI) People’s Conference president Sajad Gani Lone on Tuesday accused National Conference (NC) leaders Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah of working at the behest of the BJP to polarise voters along religious lines.

“The BJP has run out of polarisation issues… Remember Bihar elections, the BJP was falling weak. Farooq sahib gave a statement that people here are with China. It led to a huge uproar, the elections were over and he has not spoken about China even once.

“I can tell you with authority that even today, they have been tasked to carry out polarisation,” Lone told reporters here.

The separatist-turned-mainstream politician was reacting to a statement of National Conference president Farooq Abdullah in which he said, “I want to appeal to all three — Ghulam Nabi Azad, Sajad Lone and Altaf Bukahri –they should see the attitude towards Muslims of those (BJP) who they are standing for here. That’s all I want to tell them. The Muslims they are trying to fool today, will they survive tomorrow?” Abdullah asked.

Lone said while his party was only accused of being in league with the BJP, the National Conference has been in government with the BJP.

“The Babri Masjid was demolished in 1992 after which 2,000 Muslims were killed.

“Did they not remember Muslims when they joined the BJP in the government? The other party which was responsible for the Babri aftermath was Shiv Sena. They have openly joined hands with them (through the INDIA bloc). Are they friends of Muslims?” he asked.