On Monday, an all-party meet was organized to mourn Atal Ji. Leaders from many parties attended the meeting and paid their tribute to the former Prime Minister and one of the most beloved leaders of the country. Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir and National Conference (NC) president, Farooq Abdullah gave one of the most moving and heartfelt speeches. He said, “Atal Bihari Vajpayee was not the Wazir-e-Azam (head of state) now but was the king of everyone’s heart. He captured every Indians’ heart not with power but with love. I don’t think anyone had a heart as large as Atal Bihari. He never discriminated against any people on the basis of caste, ethnicity, religion or language.” He ended his moving speech with thunderous and passionate chants of ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ and ‘Jai Hind’.
Farooq Abdullah earned lots of appreciation for his speech but raising patriotic slogans at the prayer meeting of Atal Ji created trouble for him in his home state-Jammu and Kashmir. State constituents particularly disliked his nationalism. Farooq Abdullah is constantly facing abuses and protests for his nationalist and emotional speech. On Wednesday, he was forced to leave Eid prayers. He was heckled at Hazratbal shrine in Srinagar as well. At the shrine some people started shouting slogans against Farooq Abdullah. They were shouting “Farooq Abdullah go back” and “Hum kya chahte, azaadi”. Protestors were angry with Abdullah’s nationalist stand. They even tried to approach to Farooq Abdullah who was sitting on a chair in the front row because of his ill-health but a human chain formed around him preventing the protestors from harming him. In order to protect him, security personnel also threw a ring around former CM of the state. Whatever happened with Abdullah is absolutely disgraceful.
After the incident, Abdullah while speaking to PTI said, “I did not leave the venue and completed my prayers. They are my own people. They are misguided and I cannot escape my duties of being their leader.” He further said, “Some people were agitated but that does not mean I will escape. I have a task of keeping everyone united.” Abdullah also said, “A politician, at times, has to face people’s anger. I only hope these misguided youths are counseled properly.” In his Interview with Arnab Goswami, Abdullah justified his chant of ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ He said, “The prophet said if you don’t love your land, you cannot love Allah.”
Farooq Abdullah, justifying his chant “Bharat Mata Ki Jai” at rally, says in interview with Arnab: “The prophet said if you don’t love your land, you cannot love Allah.”
— Minhaz Merchant (@MinhazMerchant) August 22, 2018
It’s good to see that Abdullah maintained his calm and did not lose his patience. But it was absolutely disgraceful to see whatever happened with him at Hazratbal shrine. This is the price that one pays for being nationalist in Kashmir valley. In recent times it has been seen that nationalist people of Kashmir have been selectively targeted by the terrorists and secessionist forces of the valley. Kashmiri youths who had joined Indian army and security forces were kidnapped and mercilessly killed. Whatever is happening with nationalist people of Kashmir is unacceptable be it politician Farooq Abdullah or army soldier Aurangzeb. India must stand strongly with Abdullah and other nationalist forces of the Kashmir even if the traitorous Kashmiris wouldn’t. These nationalist elements are the beacon of peace, prosperity and stability of Kashmir.
