Jammu :National Conference president Farooq Abdullah raised objections to the centre’s claims of the killing of terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, exposing himself to contradict those made by the central government on Monday when an ex-serviceman was killed and two women were wounded-Abdullah’s wife being among them-by terrorists in a well-planned attack on Armageddon Street in Kulgam.
On the Delhi elections, Abdullah dismissed claims of premature victory by the BJP, saying that the final decision lies with the people of the country and not with the political leaders. When asked about the possibility of INDIA bloc partners Congress and AAP contesting separately in Delhi, Abdullah was modest in his response, saying he could not predict such outcomes as he was “a simple man.”
Abdullah was optimistic about the future of the INDIA bloc but downplayed his personal role in uniting alliance partners at the national level. On the question of statehood for Jammu and Kashmir, he remained hopeful about its eventual restoration but did not know how long it would take.
The veteran politician also responded to the Electronic Voting Machines issue raised by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, but steered the conversation back to media freedom, questioning journalists’ ability to criticize the central government without facing consequences. On healthcare matters, Abdullah expressed skepticism about the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, citing concerns about its rapid deployment and potential health impacts, while advocating for careful research in the development of any future cancer vaccine.
