Farooq Abdullah on BJP: In the midst of preparations for assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, National Conference President Farooq Abdullah criticized the BJP on September 12. He claimed that when the Indian Airlines flight IC-814 was hijacked 25 years ago, he had advised the BJP-led central government not to release three terrorists in exchange for the hostages.
Background of the Hijacking
On December 24, 1999, the plane, which was flying from Kathmandu to Delhi, was hijacked less than an hour after takeoff. In response to the hijackers’ demands, the central government released Maulana Masood Azhar, Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, and Mushtaq Ahmed Zargar—high-profile terrorists. At that time, Farooq Abdullah was the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir.
See here also : suspicious-bag-found-at-rg-kar-medical-college-bomb-threat-suspected
Farooq Abdullah’s Criticism
Speaking at an event in Srinagar, Farooq Abdullah said, “The BJP government at that time released three terrorists because of the hijacking incident. You can see the results now—terrorist activities continue. I had warned the BJP government not to do this, but they ignored me. They believe they can make the country strong despite their continuous mistakes.”
Questioning Government’s Actions
Abdullah also questioned why the central government is engaging in talks with China, while Beijing has “taken control” of Indian land. He recalled that former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had said that friends can change, but neighbors do not. He stressed that progress would only happen if the nation’s relationships are friendly.
Failure to Control Terrorism
Abdullah accused the central government of failing to control terrorism, even after abrogating Article 370 and gaining full control over Jammu and Kashmir.
