Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Sunday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of starting the process that led to the division of the former state.
He was responding to comments made by BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh, who said the BJP supports a fully united Jammu and Kashmir, including Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Speaking to Kashmir News Service, Omar Abdullah said it was good that the BJP leader spoke about unity, but pointed out that the idea of separation was first introduced by the BJP itself.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
“We have always wanted Jammu and Kashmir to remain one entity,” Abdullah said. “It was the BJP that separated Ladakh, and we still want Ladakh to be reunited with Jammu and Kashmir.”
He added that his party has never supported dividing the region. “We never wanted Jammu and Kashmir to be seen as separate parts. It should never have been divided. We are not in favour of Jammu being separated from Kashmir,” he said.
Abdullah also alleged that the BJP and some of its allies in Kashmir continue to promote narratives that encourage division within the region.
Earlier, Tarun Chugh had said that the BJP believes in a fully united Jammu and Kashmir, including areas of PoK, and that the party is committed to equal development across the entire region. He also criticised what he called “divisive narratives” put forward by other political parties.
The exchange has once again brought the debate over Jammu and Kashmir’s political future into focus.
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