Srinagar: A new war of words broke out between BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi and the father-son duo of Farooq and Omar Abdullah, as the former alleged that that the biggest blow to secularism in India was delivered in Kashmir from where Kashmiri Pandits were forced out due to their religion.
Countering this the father-son duo came out all guns blazing against Mr Modi, saying his intention was to abrogate Article 370 of the Constitution. They asserted that the intent would never be acceptable to the people of the state.
“Modi sahib, you do not have the courage to come to Kashmir to seek votes. You have set out to become the PM of the country but you will not come to Kashmir for seeking votes,” Omar Abdullah said in Srinagar. He went on to add, “You will go to Jammu and Ladakh but not the Valley because the ideas you have for this place, the way you have tried to defame people, I don’t think you will have any place in their hearts.”
Reacting sharply to Farooq Abdullah’s rem-ark that those voting for the BJP’s PM candidate should drown in sea, Mr Modi said “If somebody has to drown then you should look at your (Abdullahs) face in mirror. Put your father’s face in front of mirror and ask this question. Those who have chased Kashmiri Pandits out have no face to preach against communalism.”
Retorting further Omar said, “For Mr Modi, history is what suits him. Neither my family, nor the Valley requires your secularism certificate.”
