BJP slams Farooq for his PoK remarks, seeks apology

Jammu, Nov 28: BJP today sought an apology from former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah for his remarks that 'PoK is part of Pakistan', and said he was "deliberately raking up" the issue in order to remain in news for his political survival.

"Probably Farooq Abdullah is either suffering from amnesia or deliberately raking up the settled issue in order to remain in news for his political survival," BJP spokesperson Virender Gupta told reporters here.

Gupta strongly condemned the statement of the National Conference Patron yesterday that "PoK is part of Pakistan" and will remain with it while India will continue to control its part of Jammu and Kashmir.

The BJP spokesperson said Maharaja Hari Singh while signing the Instrument of Accession made the whole of Jammu and Kashmir, under his control, part of the Dominion of India. He said Farooq Abdullah's father Sheikh Abdullah had even endorsed the accession of Jammu and Kashmir to India. Gupta said Pakistan was an aggressor which forcibly occupied the part of Jammu and Kashmir that is presently under its occupation and that it was India which took up the matter with the UN Security Council.

He added that Indian Parliament, in a resolution in 1994, unanimously resolved its determination to get vacated PoK, part of Jammu and Kashmir, from illegal occupation of Pakistan.

"Abdullah by his uncalled-for statement has acted against the resolution and harmed the interest of the nation and weakened India's position on the J&K issue," the BJP spokesperson said. Replying to queries about the reported demand in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) of joining India, Abdullah had yesterday said, "It will never happen.

It (PoK) is part of Pakistan and will remain part of Pakistan. This (Jammu and Kashmir) is India's part and will remain part of India..." Gupta said Abdullah must seek apology from the nation for his this blunder and set things in the right perspective.

It looks like that the leaders of National Conference have been so much demoralised and frustrated that they have lost their wit and giving such irresponsible statements, he alleged.

PTI