Shah Basit
Addressing a gathering of National Conference workers in the Wayil area of Ganderbal, Omar Abdullah, former Chief Minister of Jammu Kashmir, expressed concerns over what he described as a conspiracy by Delhi-based leaders to undermine his political presence.
Referring to past and current elections, Abdullah mentioned how Engineer Rashid was fielded against him during the 2019 Parliamentary elections.
“At that time, I didn’t see it as a conspiracy,” Abdullah stated, “but now, with another prisoner being fielded against me in Ganderbal for the assembly elections, it has become evident that Delhi and its agencies are working against me.”
In a move that he described as a surprise to those monitoring the elections, Abdullah revealed that he filed his nomination for Budgam without informing anyone until the last minute, positioning it as a strategic decision to outmaneuver the alleged plans against him.
The former Chief Minister also used the rally to highlight the increasing marginalization of Muslims across India.
He pointed to instances of mosque and madrasa closures in Uttar Pradesh, the bulldozing of Muslim properties, and discriminatory comments during floods in Assam.
“When floods hit Muslim-majority areas, they term it a ‘jihadi flood,'” Abdullah remarked, warning that the same forces humiliating Muslims elsewhere in the country could eventually target Jammu Kashmir.
As the assembly elections in Jammu Kashmir approach, scheduled for September 18, 2024, Abdullah’s remarks underscore the growing tension around the role of national agencies and the alleged targeting of regional political figures.
This election will be the first since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019 and will test the strength of regional parties like the National Conference against the rising influence of the BJP in the region.
With Abdullah filing his nomination in Budgam, and Ganderbal, the political battle intensifies, drawing attention to both local electoral dynamics and broader national concerns regarding the treatment of minorities.