BJP slams Farooq over promising regional autonomy in J-K if NC comes to power

The BJP on Friday hit out at National Conference chief Farooq Abduallh over his remarks to grant autonomy to Jammu, Ladakh and Kashmir regions if his party comes to power in the state.

Abdullah on Thursday had promised regional autonomy if his party comes to power in the state.

"I want to make a promise that God willing if we form the next government, we will bring a resolution to grant autonomy to the three regions (within 30 days)," Abdullah said as he welcomed expelled BJP leader and former MLA Gagan Bhagat into the NC fold at the party headquarters here.

"National Conference Chief and former chief minister Farooq Abdullah has tried to mislead Jammuites and create confusion and discord in peace loving people of Jammu belonging to different religious and ethnic groups by promising greater autonomy to Jammu in case National Conference comes to power in next elections," State Bharatiya Janata Party Chief Spokesperson Sunil Sethi told reporters here.

"By making such statement the real face of communal approach of National Conference has come in open", he said.

Sethi said that National Conference wants to divide people of Jammu Province in regional sub groups to create sub regions of muslim majority by creating mistrust and hatred between people who have always lived in complete harmony.

Jammu is shining example of all religious and linguistic groups living in complete harmony unlike intolerant Kashmiri population who forced Minority Kashmiri Pandits to migrate, he said.

NC has no political agenda for the state except for blindly falling in line with the separatists, including Hurriyat Conference, for petty political gains, he added.

"Relevance of Dr Farooq for his party is making these types of statements to incite communal passions", he added.

On Bhagat joining NC, he said that it exposes the real face of National Conference.

"It is very clear that Gagan Bhagat had filed petition against assembly dissolution at the asking of National Conference only which is his new masters", he added.

Gagan Bhagat had been expelled from party not because of his matrimonial dispute but because he had kept a young girl belonging to poor family in his house with whom his objectionable pictures and videos came in media and her family is fighting on roads to save her from his clutches, Sethi claimed.

"By misusing his position as MLA he had created a situation of fear and helplessness for poor family which was a heinous act as a political worker. In coming elections National Conference will have to give answer to voters of having such person in the party", he added.