Three suicide attackers had stormed the artillery headquarters at Panzgam in the wee hours of Thursday and fired indiscriminately killing three soldiers,
Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah on Saturday said the recent encounter in Kupwara, where three soldiers were killed, was being blown out of proportion just to spread hatred against Muslims.
"26 CRPF men were killed in Chhattisgarh but there was not much hue and cry. Three army men were killed in Kupwara and they are beating the drums. It is aimed at creating hatred against Muslims. Mothers and sisters, remember a new conspiracy is being hatched," Farooq told the party workers at Nawa-i-Subh headquarters in Srinagar on Saturday.
Three suicide attackers had stormed the artillery headquarters at Panzgam in the wee hours of Thursday and fired indiscriminately killing three soldiers, including 26-year-old Captain Ayush Yadav. Two terrorists were later killed in an encounter which lasted for around 35 minutes. However, the third terrorist managed to escape despite being injured during the encounter.
Farooq's comments sparked national outrage, with BJP calling his statements as "insensitive comments" against the security forces. "He has been rejected by the people and the fact of the matter is that he got only seven per cent votes despite three generations of his family being prominent personalities in J&K politics. It is a shame on his part to politicise the killings of our brave soldiers", said Khalid Jehangir, BJP spokesman for Kashmir
Khalid said that any activity which is against the nation will be dealt strongly. "Whether it is Chhattisgarh or Kupwara, the main aim of these outfits is to destabilise the country. Our government is committed to giving a befitting reply to these anti-national elements", he said
It is not the first time that Farooq has stirred the hornet's nest in Kashmir. On April 5, he had said that the stone-pelters are laying down their lives for the cause of Kashmir and also supported the US intervention in resolving the Indo-Pak Kashmir issue.
Farooq, who recently won the elections from Srinagar parliamentary constituency, which witnessed the lowest turnout in 27 years, also batted for talks with separatists and Pakistan to solve the Kashmir issue. "Bomb and bullets will not achieve anything. There is no other alternative but these talks. Please pray to Allah that there are friendly relations between the two countries", he said.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Farooq Abdullah")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}