If Farooq likes Pakistan so much, he should settle there: Union minister

In recent months, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah has repeatedly called for talks between India and Pakistan.

On Tuesday, Pralhad Joshi, who is Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Coal and Mines, criticised Farooq over the demand. Joshi was quoted by ANI as saying, “He [Farooq Abdullah] has said many times that India should talk to Pakistan. If he likes Pakistan so much, then he should settle there.”

BJP leader in Kashmir Aijaz Hussain also took aim at Farooq. “It is unfortunate that Farooq Abdullah Instead of seeking action against terrorists, he is sometimes suggesting winning hearts & other day he is asking to speak with Pakistan. Moreover there should be no surprise if the cadre of NC is involved in facilitating terrorism,” Aijaz tweeted on Tuesday.

On Monday, Farooq had said India and Pakistan should “shed their egos” and come forward for dialogue. Farooq had said on Monday, “I will keep saying that India should hold talks with Pakistan, no matter how much you criticise [me]. [H.D.] Deve Gowda had also tried (when he was the prime minister). Atal Bihari Vajpayee had also tried, he was not a fool.”

Farooq argued, “If you think that we will hold a dialogue when the last bullet stops, it will be too late... both countries need to shed their egos and find a way out, so that people are saved and progress takes place... If you [Centre] can hold talks with China, which killed [our] 22 soldiers and is sitting on our land, why can't you hold talks with Pakistan? Why don't you go to war with them [China]?”

Last year, the BJP had lashed out at Farooq Abdullah for purportedly linking the standoff with China over Ladakh to the abrogation of Article 370. Farooq had told a TV channel “Whatever they [China] are doing at LAC in Ladakh [is] all because of the abrogation of Article 370, which they never accepted. I am hopeful that with their support, Article 370 will be restored in J&K.”