Nobody can divide India as long as we are united: Farooq

Marking a minute of silence in the memory of those killed during the 26/11 terror attack in Mumbai 10 years ago, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farroq Abdullah said on Monday that nobody can divide India as long as the people remain united.

He said he was an optimist and hoped that India would be able to prevent any future terrorist attacks of the kind but maintained that "our own house has to be united" for that to happen.

"We have been fighting terror for years. They are state actors (of Pakistan). They are trying to ethnically cleanse Kashmir but let me tell you we are achieving success because the larger number of our population are tired of them.

"Our successes are not because of intelligence but because common people are fed up of terrorists and they are giving the exact information," he said.

Abdullah, along with former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and former diplomat and politician Pavan K. Varma, unveiled Congress leader Manish Tewari's third book titled "Favles of Fractured Times".

Abdullah, in an apparent reference to the terrorists from Pakistan, said they will never succeed in dividing this nation "unless we are divided".

"Pakistan is a rogue state. The state is dependent on the Army. But if we are united, nobody is so powerful to divide this country," he said.

Abdullah urges the gathering to truss Muslims and reminded them that they are a part of this land.

"Ram doesn't need my vote nor does Allah need our vote. The elections are not being fought on developmental issues," he said.

"Do not mistrust Indian Muslims. We are apart of this land. We have never taken directions from Pakistan. We decided not to participate in the elections because they (BJP) were playing with Article 370 and 35A," he said.

--IANS

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