Omar lashes out at Mehbooba over crackdown on separatists

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, March 25

National Conference vice-president on Monday criticised PDP president Mehbooba Mufti and accused her of shedding “crocodile tear” over crackdown against the separatist camp.

“The case under which they (separatists) are summoned, their houses are raided is not of my tenure, not of Ghulam Nabi Azad’s tenure, not of Farooq sahib’s tenure, that case was registered when Mehbooba Mufti was the Chief Minister,” Omar said while addressing an election rally in north Kashmir’s Kunzer area.

Omar said Mehbooba did not object when the case was registered. “Why these crocodile tears now. The case is of your tenure and now you are complaining. You should have objected then when you were not tiring from praising Narendra Modi,” he said.

Omar was referring to the investigation and registration of the case against separatist leaders over terror funding. This has led to arrested of several separatists while the investigation is still going on.

The NC leader’s rally in north Kashmir was a show of support for the party’s candidate Akbar Lone, who faces a competition from the candidates of the People’s Conference and also PDP.

Along with the party’s candidate, general secretary Ali Mohammad Sagar and other leaders like Nasir Wani, Basharat Bukhari and Farooq Shah also addressed the rally.

The former CM also lashed out at People’s Conference chairman Sajad Lone for sending a letter to the Governor to head a BJP government and sabotaging the attempt by the NC, PDP and Congress to form a government. “He sent the letter (but) who were supporting him? He (Sajad) had support of all BJP MLAs. So it is very clear that voting Sajad will be voting for Modi. Who will here support the BJP and Modi who are adamant to erode Article 370,” he said.