BJP employing coercive, intimidating measures to target Farooq Abdullah: NC on ED summons

The NC said that the timing of the recent summon is very clear as Farooq Abdullah's previous summons were just before August 5 in 2019 and Monday’s summon comes within days of forming the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration.

File Photo (ANI)

Srinagar: The Jammu Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) on Monday (October 19, 2020) alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after failing to politically fight party president Farooq Abdullah has resorted to employing its agencies for the task. The remarks have come following the summoning of Abdullah for questioning by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

The ED has reportedly summoned former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister for questioning in the Rs 113 crore scam allegedly carried out when Abdullah was the chairman of the J&K Cricket Association.

In an official statement, a party spokesperson said, "The ED summon to Dr Farooq Abdullah is clearly the result of the unity that Dr Sahib has been able to forge among mainstream political parties in J&K. This is the price one faces when opposed to BJP’s ideology and divisive politics. Recent history is a witness to how BJP has been employing coercive and intimidative measures through various departments to target opposition leaders across the country. The recent ED summon to Dr Farooq Abdullah is a case in point."

The statement added, "The timing of the recent summon is very clear. His previous summons were just before August 5 last year and today’s summon comes within days of forming the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration of which Dr Farooq Abdullah has taken a lead. Dr Farooq Abdullah continues to maintain his innocence and will cooperate with the authorities in what is nothing but a witch hunt." 

Failing to fight him politically, BJP employing its agencies to target Dr Farooq Abdullah: NC

Full statement here:https://t.co/He4oviRHa2 pic.twitter.com/PhFqNASwbW

— JKNC (@JKNC_) October 19, 2020

Speaking on the same, Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and J&K Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti said that the ED's sudden summon to Farooq displays the extent of the central government's nervousness about mainstream parties in J&K fighting as one unit. 

"Also reeks of political vendetta & wont in the least blunt our collective resolve to fight for our rights," tweeted Mufti who was recently released from detention after 14 months.

ED’s sudden summon to Farooq sahab displays the extent of GOIs nervousness about mainstream parties in J&K fighting as one unit. Also reeks of political vendetta & wont in the least blunt our collective resolve to fight for our rights. https://t.co/jasXiiZqH7 — Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) October 19, 2020

Farooq Abdullah's son Omar also reacted on the news and expressed, "The party will be responding to this ED summons shortly. This is nothing less then political vendetta coming days after the formation of the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration. To set the record straight no raids are being conducted at Dr Sahib’s residence."

The party will be responding to this ED summons shortly. This is nothing less then political vendetta coming days after the formation of the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration. To set the record straight no raids are being conducted at Dr Sahib’s residence. — Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) October 19, 2020