Farooq to Mufti: Pointing fingers at each other will not achieve anything

Srinagar, Aug 31: National Conference (NC) President Dr Farooq Abdullah on Saturday said pointing fingers at one another will not achieve anything. He was responding to People’s Democratic Party (PDP) President Mehbooba Mufti’s remarks that elections are “Haram” (forbidden) for the NC when losing but “Halal” (permissible) for them when winning.
Speaking to reporters after paying obeisance at the Sheikh Hamza Makhdoom (RA) shrine here, Abdullah said that Mufti should stop this approach as “nothing will be achieved by blaming each other”.
“I will not say anything about her. May God bless her, and may she follow her own path, but we should focus on protecting the country”, he said.
When asked about the Assam government’s decision to cancel the two-hour Namaz break for Muslim legislators, Dr Farooq said India is a country known for its unity in diversity, and governments must protect every religion.
“India, with its federal structure, must safeguard the religious and cultural diversity across states, from Tamil Nadu to Kashmir, Bengal to Maharashtra,” he said.
The former chief minister said, “Nothing is permanent. Things will change in time, and good things will prevail again. We will inform them that such activities should not be indulged in when our government comes to power.”
Abdullah said it is also important to respect and protect people of all religions in Jammu & Kashmir. “When our approach toward others is good, it will reflect positively across the country. This attitude must be embraced by everyone,” he remarked.
When asked about former members of Jamaat-e-Islami contesting in the elections, the NC Chief congratulated them for stepping forward and participating in the democratic process.
“This is a positive step and should be encouraged. Their participation is a good sign for the democratic process,” he added.