BJP, Cong., NPP decry Abdullah's 'third-party intervention' assertion, NC supports

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah's assertion of a third-party intervention to resolve the Kashmir issue has not found much support within the political arena.

While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Congress, and the National Panthers Party (NPP) have outrightly refuted the idea of a third-party intervention, the only party that seemed to support Abdullah was his own - National Conference (NC).

The BJP, which forms the ruling government in the state in alliance with the People's Democratic Party (PDP) in Jammu and Kashmir, maintained that the government does not need Abdullah's advice on how to function.

"The entire nation knows how Farooq Abdullah is. So the Government does not need his advice," BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya told ANI on 21 July.

Another BJP leader Meenkashi Lekhi lashed out at Abdullah for making such comments, and in the past as well.

"Farooq Abdullah has sworn so many times to this Constitution, but still he makes such comments. The patriots must be understanding his face now," Lekhi told ANI.

The Congress also held the same opinion in this regard, stating that it is a bilateral issue, and that no third party is needed to meddle in it.

"I don't agree. A third party is not needed. It is a bilateral issue and should be solved by the two nations involved," Congress leader Rajeev Shukla told ANI.

NPP leader Bhim Singh condemned Abdullah in harsh words and said neither the United States nor China can use India like "a rotten egg."

"India cannot be used as a rotten egg, neither by the U.S. nor by China. The frustrated politicians, when lose power, talk differently. I, as an Indian and as a resident of Jammu and Kashmir, do not agree with what Farooq Abdullah has said. India should talk to Pakistan," Singh said.

Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar went a step further, and dubbed the entire episode as an 'act of publicity' by the National Conference leader.

"If Farooq Abdullah has said this, the only reason is to gain some attention and publicity for himself. Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India. Today, if there are problems in Jammu and Kashmir, or any other part of India, it is because there are cross-border terrorists sent by Pakistan," Chandrasekhar told ANI.

Chandrasekhar also ruled out any possibility of having a dialogue with Pakistan or allowing any third party intervention for resolving the tension in the Valley.

"There is no question of having a dialogue with Pakistan or any third party intervention. We have to support our security forces in enabling them to maintain territorial integrity. Politicians will say what they want to. Those, who are not a part of the solution, will become the part of the problem," he said.

National Conference leader Devendra Rana, while supporting Abdullah, said their party has never been for mediation, but have always welcomed facilitation.

Rana suggested that if facilitation can lead to reducing the hostilities and tension across the Line of Control (LoC) and save the people living there, it should be worked upon.

"What he (Farooq Abdullah) said is correct. The National Conference (NC) has never been for mediation, but we've always said facilitation is welcome. It has happened in the past, it will happen in future. It has been done in the past during the Kargil War. Bill Clinton talked to Nawaz Sharif and de-escalated Kargil," Rana told ANI.

Abdullah's son and NC leader Omar Abdullah also came in defence of his father, saying that the people were "spinning his statement."

Earlier in the day, Farooq Abdullah said that India should approach third parties, such as the United States and China, to mediate in the Kashmir issue.

Adbullah said India has so many allies across the globe, which can be approached for settling the Kashmir issue to act as a mediator between India and Pakistan.

"For how long are you going to wait? Sometimes, you have to pull the bull by its horns. The way is to have a dialogue. India has so many friends all across the world. They can ask them to act as a mediator. U.S. President Trump himself said that he wants to settle Kashmir problem. China also said that it wants to mediate in Kashmir. Somebody has to be approached," Abdullah said.

Reacting to this, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi had said, "I have been asserting for long that it's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his policies at the Centre that have destroyed Jammu and Kashmir. And the point that is being mentioned that a third party's intervention should be invited for the settlement of the issue, it's wrong. India is Kashmir and Kashmir is India."

"It's our internal matter and no other country should have any say in it," he added.

-ANI