In Srinagar, National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah on Saturday hit back at the BJP, alleging that it was labeling opposition parties as agents of Pakistan to cover up its own mistakes.
The former prime minister also urged the Election Commission to provide a level playing field, alleging that the BJP was providing resources and other support to independent candidates in the Kashmir Valley.
Responding to allegations by BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, that NC, PDP and Congress were implementing Pakistan's agenda, Abdullah said: the BJP continues to raise the specter of Pakistan to divert attention from its shortcomings.
"Every now and then they mention Pakistan. They themselves make mistakes, but they accuse us of being Pakistanis. They allege that the alliance of Rahul Gandhi and Farooq Abdullah has been formed due to instructions from Pakistan.
"What do we have to do with Pakistan? We are Indians. How can they say such things? I think they themselves are Pakistanis, but they present us as a danger," he told reporters here.
Referring to the recent rise in terror incidents in the Jammu region, the NC president asked if the BJP will continue to blame Article 370 for it.
"They used to say that Article 370 was responsible for terrorism here. Today, they are in power, has terrorism ended? There was an encounter in Reasi. So is Article 370 responsible even today?"
The former Union minister alleged that the BP government divided and downgraded J-K into two union territories due to its Muslim-majority character.
"I will tell you directly that they demoted us to UT because we were a Muslim majority state. They divided this state," he said.
Asserting that J-K's statehood will be restored, Abdullah said the BJP was on "crutches", apparently referring to JD(U) and TDP's support for the BJP-led government.
"The time will come when we will regain our statehood. All of India is with us. Today, the BJP is on crutches. They say one nation, one election, I want to ask them whether it is a federal structure or not.
"There are state governments that make Delhi stronger. If Delhi has to become stronger, then first the states have to be strong," he said, adding that if full statehood is not restored, "we will protest and then take statehood." full".
Warning the people of Kashmir against independent and 'proxy' candidates, the NC chief said the BJP knew it could not win any seat in the Valley, so several independent candidates contested to split the votes.
"They released people like engineer Rashid, who is not an engineer. They imprisoned him, so why did they release him? They wanted to divide the people," he said.
Abdullah also called on the Electoral Commission to provide a level playing field.
"All the substitute candidates are so thanks to them, to their money. While they are given all the help, our people, our workers, are imprisoned. Then they say that there are free elections.
"I want to tell the EC that we want free elections where everyone can speak freely, move freely and vote freely. The EC should see why there is pressure on our workers. This should not happen," he said.
However, he expressed confidence that the people would support the Congress-Congress alliance.
"The BJP knows its ship has sunk. Otherwise, what was the need for Amit Shah to come here and campaign," he said.
"If they (BJP) had any courage, they would have fought alone here (in Kashmir), with their own symbol," he added.
Abdullah said the BJP will not be successful in fielding independent candidates and "people will give a big slap to the party".
The former prime minister also urged the Election Commission to provide a level playing field, alleging that the BJP was providing resources and other support to independent candidates in the Kashmir Valley.
Responding to allegations by BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, that NC, PDP and Congress were implementing Pakistan's agenda, Abdullah said: the BJP continues to raise the specter of Pakistan to divert attention from its shortcomings.
"Every now and then they mention Pakistan. They themselves make mistakes, but they accuse us of being Pakistanis. They allege that the alliance of Rahul Gandhi and Farooq Abdullah has been formed due to instructions from Pakistan.
"What do we have to do with Pakistan? We are Indians. How can they say such things? I think they themselves are Pakistanis, but they present us as a danger," he told reporters here.
Referring to the recent rise in terror incidents in the Jammu region, the NC president asked if the BJP will continue to blame Article 370 for it.
"They used to say that Article 370 was responsible for terrorism here. Today, they are in power, has terrorism ended? There was an encounter in Reasi. So is Article 370 responsible even today?"
The former Union minister alleged that the BP government divided and downgraded J-K into two union territories due to its Muslim-majority character.
"I will tell you directly that they demoted us to UT because we were a Muslim majority state. They divided this state," he said.
Asserting that J-K's statehood will be restored, Abdullah said the BJP was on "crutches", apparently referring to JD(U) and TDP's support for the BJP-led government.
"The time will come when we will regain our statehood. All of India is with us. Today, the BJP is on crutches. They say one nation, one election, I want to ask them whether it is a federal structure or not.
"There are state governments that make Delhi stronger. If Delhi has to become stronger, then first the states have to be strong," he said, adding that if full statehood is not restored, "we will protest and then take statehood." full".
Warning the people of Kashmir against independent and 'proxy' candidates, the NC chief said the BJP knew it could not win any seat in the Valley, so several independent candidates contested to split the votes.
"They released people like engineer Rashid, who is not an engineer. They imprisoned him, so why did they release him? They wanted to divide the people," he said.
Abdullah also called on the Electoral Commission to provide a level playing field.
"All the substitute candidates are so thanks to them, to their money. While they are given all the help, our people, our workers, are imprisoned. Then they say that there are free elections.
"I want to tell the EC that we want free elections where everyone can speak freely, move freely and vote freely. The EC should see why there is pressure on our workers. This should not happen," he said.
However, he expressed confidence that the people would support the Congress-Congress alliance.
"The BJP knows its ship has sunk. Otherwise, what was the need for Amit Shah to come here and campaign," he said.
"If they (BJP) had any courage, they would have fought alone here (in Kashmir), with their own symbol," he added.
Abdullah said the BJP will not be successful in fielding independent candidates and "people will give a big slap to the party".