'Nehru did nothing wrong': Farooq Abdullah's comments on father's arrest sparks war of words with BJP

'It was pure political opportunism of Farooq Abdullah in his greed for power that he was even prepared to abjure and to an extent disown his father,' said BJP national secretary Tarun Chugh.

Jammu: The BJP on Wednesday hit out at National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah for justifying his father Sheikh Abdullah's arrest during Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru's era and said "in his greed for power, he was even prepared to disown his father".

Reacting to the former chief minister's remarks, BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh warned the people against such people who have been playing a double game with Jammu and Kashmir for their vested political interests.

"My father was kept in jail for 13 years by Jawaharlal Nehru. I have never said that Jawaharlal has done this wrong. I have been saying that he may have a better understanding," Abdullah said while speaking at an event in Mumbai to commemorate the birth centenary celebrations of Madhu Dandavate on Sunday.

"It was pure political opportunism of Farooq Abdullah in his greed for power that he was even prepared to abjure and to an extent disown his father," Chugh said.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said it is a matter of "shame and disgrace" for the entire people of Jammu and Kashmir that the National Conference patron is justifying his father's arrest during the Nehru era.

He warned the people of Jammu and Kashmir against those playing a double game for their political interests, labelling the National Conference (NC) president as a "power-hungry" individual willing to disown his father.

Highlighting the transformative era under Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government, Chugh urged the relegation of Muftis and Abdullahs to oblivion, envisioning a new dawn for Jammu and Kashmir.

"Modi-led government has ushered in a new era of development and progress in J&K which has brought about basic transformation in the culture. It is time Muftis and Abdullahs are cast into oblivion and the people start seeing a new sunrise in J&K," he said.

The BJP leader emphasized the need for the people to recognise and reject those driven by personal interests.

Former legislator and BJP spokesperson Girdhari Lal Raina mocked National Conference leader Omar Abdullah's statement equating Jammu and Kashmir with the party, deeming it laughable and indicative of entitlement over merit.

"Indira (Gandhi) is India syndrome that defines sycophancy on one side and arrogance of entitlement on other seems to have badly hit the National Conference like its alliance partner Congress party these days," Raina told reporters here.

Reacting to Abdullah's remarks in Jammu last week, Raina said, "We feel astonished over the statement equating J&K with the National Conference. It is laughable and smacks of the sense of entitlement instead of any merit."

He highlighted the disconnect between the National Conference and the evolving aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

Raina urged the citizens to comprehend the language of conceit, duplicity and fickleness displayed by the political parties.

"Citizens of J&K are mature enough to understand the language of conceit, duplicity and fickleness of the political parties that change their stance on even serious issues without any hesitation or remorse. The NC is disconnected with people," he said.

Raina reminded the public of the National Conference's numerous transformations and suggested that equating the future of Jammu and Kashmir with the outdated party was a gross mistake.

He called upon the people to reject dynasts, sycophants and opportunists, advocating support for the BJP under Prime Minister Modi's leadership.