The BJP on Monday lashed out at National Conference chief and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah for linking the tension with China in Ladakh to the abrogation of Article 370.
Farooq, who had been detained for several months after Article 370 was abrogated on August 5 last year, had made several controversial statements in an interview to a leading TV channel on Sunday. Farooq Abdullah said, "Whatever they [China] are doing at LAC in Ladakh [is] all because of the abrogation of Article 370, which they never accepted. I am hopeful that with their support, Article 370 will be restored in J&K.”
BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra alleged Farooq Abdullah had made an "anti-national" comment. Sambit Patra noted, "In a way, Farooq Abdullah justifies China's expansionist mindset in his interview.”
Patra claimed, "On September 24, Farooq Abdullah said that if you go to Jammu and Kashmir and ask people if they are Indians, then people will say that we are not Indians. In the same statement, he also said that it would be good if we could join China."
Patra declared Farooq Abdullah was questioning the sovereignty and independence of the country and asked whether such behaviour suited an MP.
Patra also used the controversy involving Farooq Abdullah to target Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. Patra alleged, "It is not so that only Farooq Abdullah says like this; if you go into history and listen to the recent statements of Rahul Gandhi, you will find that these are two sides of the same coin."
Patra noted, "This is the same Rahul Gandhi who said a week ago that the prime minister is a coward, the prime minister is hidden, scared.”
"Rahul Gandhi became a hero in Pakistan by questioning surgical strikes and air strikes. Today Farooq Abdullah has become a hero in China," Patra declared.