“National Conference and its leadership has mastered the art of ‘politics of deceit’ and ironically is now trying to shift the blame on Central government to mislead the people of the state and to cover up their own follies and acts of deceit done by the party ever since its inception,” stated Brig Anil Gupta, State Spokesperson of Bharatiya Janata Party in a press release issued by the party. Contradicting the contention of NC President Dr Farooq Abdullah that the continuous indifferent & rigidity of the successive central governments is responsible for the feeling of estrangement among the people of the state, Brig Gupta questioned Dr. Abdullah to explain to the people if it was possible for the central government to remain indifferent towards the state without the willing cooperation and connivance of the local power brokers? For all the years NC was in power it either enjoyed the blessings of the central government or was in alliance with it. Wasn’t NC responsible for the acts of omission and commission of the central government being fully associated with it? At that time for the lust of power the Abdullahs kept singing praise of the Central government and now when they are out of power they are shifting the entire blame on the Centre is not only misleading but self-contradictory said Brig Gupta.
Listing their acts of deceit, Brig Gupta stated that it all began with the launching of ‘Quit Kashmir’ movement in May 1946, followed by forced exodus of Maharaja Hari Singh in June 1949 by Sheikh Abdullah leading to him becoming the virtual ruler of the state. A master stroke of deceit because the Sheikh had sought royal pardon in 1946 and promised to be never disloyal to the Maharaja. Then followed 1953 when he stabbed the government of India in its back and was arrested for acts of treason and secession. The return to power in 1975 as Chief Minister with the support of Congress was another masterstroke of ‘politics of deceit’ played with the Kashmiris.
Farooq Abdullah, the heir of Sheikh had further honed this art and used it repeatedly to deceive the innocent Kashmiris. In the 1983 assembly elections Farooq Abdullah and his party sought support of all anti-national and secessionist organisations operating in the Valley at that time. NC sought the support of these organisations on the plea that the ensuing elections were to be treated as a fight between all Kashmiris on the one hand and India as a sovereign country on the other represented by Congress (I). The result of the election for the first time resulted in the political polarization of votes on communal lines. NC won all the 46 seats from Kashmir. In the subsequent election to the state assembly same Farooq and his party aligned with the same very Congress, is this not politics of deceit, Farooq should explain to the Kashmiris demanded the spokesperson. Who can forget his sudden resignation in 1990 leaving the state rudderless for 48 hrs leading to massacre and mass exodus of Kashmiri Pandits? “When Kashmir was Burning, Farooq was Londoning”, lamented Brig Gupta.
