Engineer Rashid, ex-Jamaat members are RSS allies, says Farooq Abdullah

Srinagar: Former J&K Chief Minister and president of the National Conference (NC), Dr Farooq Abdullah on Sunday alleged that both the ex-members of Jamaat and Lok Sabha member Engineer Rashid are "allies of the RSS" and are in the elections to divide Muslims.

Addressing his party's election meeting in Ganderbal district, he said, “I want to ask just one question. Why was not Engineer Rashid released earlier and why has he been released now? He is an ally of the RSS and he has been put in the elections to divide Muslims.”

He also accused the members of the local Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) fighting elections this time by saying, “Till yesterday they were talking of holding plebiscite here and they were supporters of Pakistan. You should ask them what happened to their previous stand. They are friends of the RSS,” Dr Abdullah alleged.

He also accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of misleading the people. “They (Centre) have been ruling J&K for the last five years. Who is getting these guns here ...who are killing civilians and martyring our Army soldiers? Did Farooq Abdullah bring those guns here? You (PM) said militancy is on its last legs, then who is killing our people,” he asked.

Dr Abdullah’s son and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is fighting the Assembly elections from Ganderbal as an NC candidate. He won from this constituency in 2008 but lost to Qazi Afzal of PDP in the 2002 elections.

The NC and Congress have formed a prepoll alliance in J&K. As per the terms of the alliance, NC will field candidates in 52 constituencies and the Congress in 31.

Two seats, one in the Valley for CPI(M) and the other in the Jammu division for the Panthers Party were left by both the alliance partners.

No agreement could be reached by the NC and the Congress on the five seats of Sopore, Banihal, Nagrota, Doda and Bhaderwah. Both parties have fielded candidates in these five constituencies and engaged in a ‘friendly contest’.

J&K has 90 Assembly seats, 47 in the Valley and 43 in the Jammu division. Out of these, nine are reserved ST seats while seven are SC seats.