Anti-national slogans cannot, will not divide country: Farooq

Meerut, Mar 14: In the wake of a massive row over anti-national slogans allegedly raised in JNU, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah on Monday said such sloganeering cannot and will not divide the country.

"In Kashmir, raising anti-national slogans is normal. Such slogans cannot and will not divide the country," he told reporters on the sidelines of a function here.

A massive political row had erupted after anti-national slogans were allegedly raised in JNU in Delhi, leading to the arrest of its students' union president Kanhaiya Kumar in a sedition case slapped by the police.

Attacking BJP, Abdullah said the ruling dispensation has failed to fulfill its pre-poll promises. "BJP had assured employment to youths during poll campaigns. But no jobs have been offered to youths despite passage of two years," he said and also slammed the government for failing to bring back black money stashed abroad.

The former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister also hit out at the BJP-PDP alliance over non-formation of a government in the state. "In the absence of Jammu and Kashmir government, militants are taking advantage of the situation," he said.

The state came under Governor's rule after the then Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed passed away in January.

On India-Pakistan relations, Abdullah welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's surprise visit to Lahore, saying such moves would create a conducive environment for talks. He also said that militancy needs to be eradicated from the country for its development.

PTI