Farooq Abdullah condemns Sukhbir Badal attack, demands MHA probe into threats against Kashmiri pandits

Farooq Abdullah has voiced strong regret over the assault on Shiromani Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Singh Badal, observing that similar attacks have taken place several times earlier and highlighting possible shortcomings in security measures. He underlined that political leaders of this standing continue to face serious risks, and authorities must acknowledge this fact.

“Attacks have happened earlier as well, and one cannot say that they will not happen again in the future. But thank God that this time the attackers failed. We all, and the whole of India, must take notice of this so that such incidents do not occur again. Care must be taken in this direction. I and Omar condemn what has happened and pray to the Almighty he gets well soon. 

The place where this happened, Nanded, is a very sacred place — it is where the last rites of the Tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh Ji, were performed. For something like this to happen at such a place is, in my view, extremely dangerous. We hope that Allah grants him good health, that he recovers soon, and that he continues to work for the country.”

When Abdullah was asked about reports of threats received by Kashmiri Pandits, he expressed surprise and posed sharp questions: “I am surprised why they received threats. 

And answer me why the threats didn’t come to other people here. There are other Hindu officers as well — Hindus are here, and leaders of every party are here. 

Why did they not receive threats? Who are they who issue threats? I believe the Home Ministry of India should investigate who these people are who are using social media for this. They need to investigate who is issuing threats; I suspect something is fishy. They must investigate this.”

He further remarked, "Where are the promises that were made to them (Kashmiri Pandits)? For the last ten years this government has been running here — what have they done? What has happened it was the time of Manmohan Singh and Omar. When we brought them here, settled them, gave them work, With the hope that someday their family members would also come, the rest of the people would come, and they would settle here. Setting up transit camps is not right; they should live with the people. There was no hostility of Kashmiri Muslims against them.”

Commenting on the Cockroach Janta Party, Abdullah said: “As far as the cockroach janta party is concerned, they have woken up the nation, the tragedies that people face, how the judiciary functions, how the government functions, and the Constitution is not being adhered to — “I think it is a good thing that they have raised this voice. 

And I hope to God that the governments will wake up and realise that the Constitution is the highest thing for every citizen of India, whatever his religion, whatever his language, and whatever his area he comes from. 

Abdullah, without naming the statehood demand, targeted the center government, saying, “one of the big things is this: unity in diversity." It is the states that make this nation. And therefore, if you rob the states of their authority and concentrate everything in one place, that is not going to work. That is not going to make this country strong. If India has to be strong, it must grow. And the states have to be made strong.”

On the functioning of Parliament, he targets BJP government and says, “You have also seen it; the whole of India has seen it; the world has seen them. The Parliament that has completely weakened… Members raise questions there, and no answers come. Parliament is meant for people to bring their issues. I was a Member of Parliament; I have seen Parliament closely. 

People go to Parliament; they have difficulties, and they narrate them there; they narrate the difficulties of the country and what is happening. That is the problem. If you have completely reduced Parliament to a tenth-rate body, then what will come out of it?”

Farooq Abdullah not only denounced the attack on the political leader but also raised questions on the safety of Kashmiri Pandits and the rights of states and asked the government to take decisive action on these matters.