Farooq Abdullah's Controversial Remarks on White Collar Terror and Nowgam Blast Spark Debate

Farooq Abdullah's comments on the Nowgam blast and white collar terror raised a row

Srinagar/New Delhi:

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah has stirred controversy with two contentious statements in a single day. The first related to the dismantled network of white collar terrorists in Haryana—notably doctors—while the second addressed Operation Sindoor.

Abdullah, who leads the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) and is father to current Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, urged an examination into the motivations behind these doctors' radicalization.

"Ask those who are responsible, why did these doctors have to take this path? What was the reason? There is a need for a thorough investigation and study of this," Abdullah stated.

He expressed concerns about another potential Operation Sindoor following the recent terror module discovery.

"I hope no such thing [Operation Sindoor] will happen. Nothing came out of it. Eighteen of our people died. Our borders were compromised. I hope both nations improve their relations. That is the only way. I want to repeat what Vajpayee Ji said that friends can be changed, but neighbours cannot be changed," Abdullah remarked.

However, many analysts widely believe that Pakistan betrayed former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee with their actions in Kargil that triggered a war.

Abdullah also criticized authorities for improperly handling explosive materials after a blast at a Srinagar police station storage facility killed nine individuals on Friday night.

"This is our mistake. Those who understand these explosives better should have spoken to them [officials] about how to deal with them, instead of trying to handle themselves," Abdullah commented.

"You saw the result - nine people lost their lives. So much damage was caused to houses there. We haven't yet come out of the crisis in Delhi where fingers are being pointed at every Kashmiri. When will that day come when they will accept that we are Indians and we are not responsible for this?" the former chief minister questioned.

In response, BJP leader Tarun Chugh directly criticized Abdullah, suggesting the Jammu and Kashmir leader was sympathetic toward terrorists.

"Shedding tears for terrorists is their old habit. Farooq Abdullah should stop speaking for terrorists now," Chugh declared.

The explosion at the Srinagar police station in Nowgam occurred during material inspection following mandated forensic procedures, according to Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat, who added that speculation regarding the incident was unnecessary.

The explosives were seized during raids on the white collar terror module in Haryana days earlier. One doctor, Umar Mohammad, panicked upon witnessing police action and loaded explosives into an i20 before driving to Delhi's Chandni Chowk. The subsequent detonation in the crowded area resulted in 13 fatalities.