Srinagar: NC leader Omar Abdullah today alleged that Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed had diverted the attention of the people from the “hollow” common minimum programme his government by raking up Pakistan and Parliament attack convict Mohammad Afzal Guru.
“Who says Mufti isn't clever! He's got everyone talking about Pakistan & Afzal Guru where we should be talking about the hollow CMP released,” Omar wrote on micro-blogging site twitter.com.
A major controversy erupted during Sayeed's press conference yesterday where he credited Pakistan, separatists and militants for the smooth conduct of Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir.
Congress staged a walkout in Lok Sabha today over Sayeed's statement, demanding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemn the remark in the house. The PDP-BJP coalition government assumed office yesterday after two months of negotiations between the two parties for cobbling up an alliance.
The PDP sparked another controversy today as several of its MLAs demanded return of mortal remains of Guru, who was hanged inside Tihar Jail on February 9, 2013. Earlier, Omar questioned whether Sayeed and his daughter Mehbooba Mufti were trying to break the PDP-BJP alliance in the state.
“Has Mufti decided the Modi-Mufti accord was a mistake? Are the father-daughter duo trying to force BJP to break off the alliance? #wondering,” he wrote. Omar said the demand of PDP MLAs for return of mortal remains of Guru was a “cynical attempt” to buy vote of independent MLA Sheikh Abdul Rashid for Legislative Council elections in the state.
“@jkpdp rediscovered love for Afzal Guru's remains is nothing but a cynical attempt to buy Engineer Rashid's crucial vote for MLC election,” Omar said.
He said, “If @jkpdp truly believed they wanted to work to bring back Guru's remains, they would have fought to include it in the CMP, which they didn't.
As the results of the Legislative council polls were declared, the former Chief Minister laughed at the futile attempt of the PDP to win over the independent MLA. “So @jkpdp brought out its big guns, cynically used #AfzalGuru by giving Eng Rashid a signed statement & still LOST the election. #Hahahahaha.
“I'm grateful to Eng Rashid, in spite of hours spent with Mufti Syed & the signed declaration from PDP he voted for the @JKNC_ candidate,” he added.