Jammu,: Jammu and Kashmir National Conference president Farooq Abdullah has accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and UP chief Minister Yogi Adityanath of keeping mum on the rape of a Schedule Caste girl in Ram Mandir.

Farooq Abdullah, said that the girl has been raped inside Ram Mandir but did you hear any statement from PM, did you hear anything from HM, who is sitting in Jammu or from UP CM. “Isn’t she our sister, isn’t she our daughter? How many times will they become target? Then they will claim to be protector,” the NC president asked and said, “They can’t protect anybody. They can only protect their chair.”

Farooq Abdullah was in Budhal to support party candidate Javed Choudhary on the last date of campaigning for the second phase of election. NC’s Choudhary is facing tough competition from Bharatiya Janta Party’s (BJP) Choudhary Zulfiqar, who recently switched to BJP.

Targeting BJP for terming NC and Article 370 responsible for terrorism in J&K, Farooq Abdullah said, “For the last five years Article 370 is not there but has terrorism come down. Look what happened in Kishtwar yesterday. Why is it happening now?”

Replying to a query whether Article 370 will be restored in J&K or not, he said, “It is a legal battle. Earlier two judgments of Supreme Court termed it permanent but the recent judgment termed it temporary. We will continue to fight this legal battle till it is restored.”

Commenting on BJP’s remarks of NC to take back ST status of Paharis, Farooq Abdullah said, “BJP ruled for 10 years and why they didn’t give the ST status to Paharis during that time. Why it was that ST status was given ahead of the parliamentary elections. Pahari people know this and they will not fell into their trap.”—(KNO)

Reader correspondent