ED questions Dr Abdullah for 7 hours; Mehbooba, Omar call it ‘vendetta’

19 October 2020

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Srinagar: National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah today appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Srinagar on Monday where he was questioned for seven hours.

Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration called the summon and the questioning “vindictive politics”, saying dialogue with all stakeholders was the only option to address deepening uncertainty in J&K, Ladakh.

During questioning the NC president didn’t get the time to have lunch. Talking to reporters after spending seven long hours at ED’s Srinagar office, Dr Farooq said let ED do their jobs and he will his own.

“I am quite clear. I will always face them,” the NC chief told media men.

“My fate will be decided by the court when they would put the case into the court. I couldn’t have lunch today. There was no time.”

Asked whether he was summoned because of the formation of peoples’ alliance for Gupkar declaration, Dr Farooq said that “don’t bring Gupkar declaration in to this.”

On whether the questioning was regarding J&K Cricket Association scam, he said: “Apko kya chati padi hai (why are you bothered. Ask them (ED).”

Replying to a query whether ED summon and questioning of seven long hours would weaken his resolve for fight seeking restoration of Article 370 back, Dr Farooq said that it wasn’t his resolve alone. “This is the resolve of people of Jammu and Kashmir. This will continue whether Farooq Abdullah is dead or alive.”

The People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration has in a statement strongly condemned the summoning of Dr Farooq Abdullah by EDI.

Terming it as a part of vindictive politics practiced by the Central government to kill dissent and disagreement across the Country and in present case to silence the genuine demand for reversal of unilateral and unconstitutional decisions of 5th August 2019 and restoration of 4th August 2019, the Alliance as per a statement issued to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) has reminded the Central Government that such tactics are not to dampen the will of People of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh to have the Constitutional status realised.

It is stated that the Central Government unnerved by the unity amongst the people across all the regions and communities to pursue the goals of the Gupkar Declaration and support extended to it by political parties and civil society groups at the national level is resorting to a game of witch-hunt and suppression.

It has urged upon the Government of India (GOI) to realise the dangers in this process of witch-hunting and intimidation and desist from such vindictive designs. Dialogue with all stakeholders remains the only option to address the deepening uncertainty in Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh.

Former chief minister of Jammu & Kashmir and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief, Mehbooba Mufti said that the ED’s sudden summon to Dr Farooq Abdullah displays the Government of India’s nervousness about mainstream parties in J&K fighting as one unit.

According to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Mehbooba in her tweet said that action reeks of political vendetta & wont blunt their collective resolve to fight for the rights.

“ED’s sudden summon to Farooq sahib displays the extent of GOIs nervousness about mainstream parties in J&K fighting as one unit. Also reeks of political vendetta & wont in the least blunt our collective resolve to fight for our rights,” Mehbooba tweeted.

NC vice president Omar Abdullah in a tweet said that there is nothing less than political vendetta coming days after the formation of the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration.

“The party will be responding to this ED summons shortly. This is nothing less then political vendetta coming days after the formation of the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration. To set the record straight no raids are being conducted at Dr Sahib’s residence,” Omar tweeted.

Former minister and Peoples Conference Chairman, Sajad gani Lone in a tweet said action reeks of vendetta.

“What a sorry state of affairs. Dr Farooq sahib summoned by ED. Reeks of vendetta. Contrary to what they want to coercively achieve this will certainly have the opposite impact,” Lone tweeted.

Former MLA Kulgam and CPI (M) senior leader, Muhammad Yousuf Tarigami tweeted “Vindictive politics practised by Central Government to kill dissent and disagreement across the Country and in present case to silence the genuine demand for reversal of unilateral and unconstitutional decisions of 5th August 2019.”

National Conference (NC) in a statement issued to KNO condemned ED summons to Party President, saying the measure exudes witch-hunt and vengeance.

The joint statement by NC leaders condemned the ‘undue witch hunt and intimidation of party president Dr Farooq Abdullah’, saying the motive behind the recent ED summon to Party President is to deter him from representing the aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

“The incumbent ruling dispensation in New Delhi was employing government machinery and malevolent tactics to subdue Dr Sahabs effort in forging unity among different mainstream political parties,” the statement said.

“This government is doing everything it can to silence the combined voice of the people of J&K, which Dr Sahib has been able to forge. The tactics are being employed across the board in the country to stifle the voices of dissent by using all spiteful measures, the party will not duck due to such tactics. We condemn the treatment that is being meted out to Dr Sahab, an octogenarian, senior most politician of J&K, and sitting Member of Parliament from Srinagar. Such tactics will only make us more resolute towards achieving our goal peacefully and constitutionally. The measure also reveals the jittery the present ruling dispensation is going through in wake of the growing consensus among all mainstream political parties on People’s Alliance for Gupkar declaration headed by Dr Farooq Abdullah,” they said.

Awami National Conference President Begum Khalida Shah said that the latest summon depicts the frustration of BJP which doesn’t want regional political parties to get united and fight for the rights of people of Jammu and Kashmir.

Begum Khalida Shah in a statement said that, “People’s Alliance on Gupkar Declaration frustrates BJP. ED gimmickry with Dr Abdullah confirms their Kashmir Policy Disaster.”

She said it is a sheer harassment to stop leaders from pursuing the legal and just Cause of people. “It is not about the Cricket Association but about Kashmir Cause. BJP wants leaders who are signatories to the Gupkar Declaration to keep mum and don’t talk about the abrogation of Special Status of Jammu and Kashmir. BJP has already destroyed democracy and now it is damaging autonomous institutions,” Khalida Shah said—(KNO)