Omar slams PDP, Cong for 'disowning' deceased Ghulam Nabi Patel

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and National Conference (NC) leader Omar Abdullah on Wednesday took a potshot at the Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for 'disowning' political activist Ghulam Nabi Patel who was shot dead by terrorists in Rajpora area of Pulwama district.

Abdullah, in a tweet, offered to designate Patel as NC leader after the Congress condoled his death by referring him PDP leader, while chief minister and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti expressed grief over his death by calling him Congress leader.

"How tragic that Patel Sahib, a political worker assassinated by militants in Kashmir is being disowned by both the PDP & Congress. If neither party is willing to own him as one of their own let's just call him an NC worker so his death is not in vain," Abdullah tweeted.

Patel, a PDP leader was shot dead by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district. However, some media reports, referred him as a Congress leader.

Following the incident, Congress in an official release, condemned the killing of the leader and said, "Strongly condemning the gruesome killing of Senior PDP Activist Gulam Nabi Patel, the J&K Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) Vice President Mohd Anwar Bhat today expressed profound grief and sorrow over the killing of Senior PDP activist of Pulwama and described the killing as highly shameful and dastardly act."

Meanwhile, Mehbooba tweeted, "Heartfelt condolences to the family of senior Congress leader, G. N. Patel who was killed by militants today in Rajpora. Such cowardly acts achieve nothing but leave one more family devastated.