NC instigating locals against KP migrants for their participation in local bodies polls: BJP

The Jammu and Kashmir BJP unit Wednesday accused the National Conference of instigating locals in the Valley against Kashmiri pandit migrants for their participation in local bodies polls.

"Today, when some of them have gone to Kashmir to exercise their right in elections or contest polls, the NC is instigating locals that they are coming here to rule them. It is a lie being spread by the NC," state BJP spokesperson Brig Anil Gupta told reporters here.

He alleged that the NC, which is the oldest political party in the state, has always been averse to the presence of Kashmiri pandits in the Valley.

"Their behaviour towards the minority KPs is same as it was 25 to 30 years ago. They were forced out of the Valley by the NC. It did not protect them and gave them the tag of migrants," alleged Gupta.

He said the NC was unable to "digest the success of BJP candidates" in the ongoing Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) election and was resorting to "false propaganda to provoke and mislead the electorate".

"Regretfully, the NC has not changed its mindset about the Kashmiri pandits, who were forced to leave the Valley during 1989 when the government headed by Dr Farooq Abdullah failed to look after their security and their lives were under constant danger due to threats from the extremists," Gupta said.

"Today, when the Kashmiri pandits are exercising their democratic right and contesting the ULB election, the NC has unleashed a false propaganda that BJP is fielding only migrant candidates and ignoring the locals, which is far from the truth," he said.

Gupta said the BJP has only fielded 36 migrant candidates while the rest were all local Kashmiris.

"True to its style of politics, the NC is trying to create a communal divide by twisting the facts," the state BJP spokesperson said.

He said the BJP was the first political party to welcome the elections in the state and had announced that it would field candidates in all constituencies.

"The fact is that NC president Dr Farooq Abdullah had too announced his party's participation in the elections, but sensing imminent defeat, threw in the towel without contesting by announcing boycott of the polls," he said.