Even the graves of NC leaders are protected by Central forces, says BJP

The Jammu and Kashmir BJP launched a scathing attack on the ruling National Conference (NC) on Saturday (April 12, 2025) and blamed its leadership for the failure to contain violence in the erstwhile State. 

“The NC government’s record is full of betrayals. Shops were closed, schools remained shut, and chaos reigned when they were in power. It was during the NC’s rule that schools and hospitals were set ablaze by terrorists. Over 1,000 NC workers were killed under the leadership of Dr. Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah when they held the Home Department,” said senior BJP MLA and Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, Sunil Sharma.

He said that even the graves of NC leaders were being protected by security forces, “which speaks volumes about the peace that has been established”. “Schools are functional, businesses are thriving, and the people of J&K can feel the positive change,” he said.

He said after the BJP took charge at the Centre, “not a single NC worker has been harmed”. “This is because our Home Minister ensures the safety and security of every citizen. We have resolved to root out terrorism from J&K once and for all,” he said.

Stating the NC’s manifesto as “nothing but a bundle of lies”, the BJP leader said restoration of Statehood was part of the BJP’s narrative, not the NC’s. “Omar Abdullah should not mislead the people. It will be restored at an appropriate time, but not through religious sloganeering inside the Assembly,” the BJP leader said.

The BJP condemned the attempts by NC leaders to provoke communal sentiments in the Assembly by raising slogans. “Assembly is a place for policy and debate, not for inciting divisions. Such behaviour only proves that the NC is trying to create communal rifts for political gain,” he said.

Encounters continue, says NC

Reacting sharply to the BJP’s criticism, senior NC leader and Mr. Abdullah’s adviser Nasir Aslam Wani said, “The BJP should not oppose for the sake of opposition. The situation is not normal, there are encounters after encounters, killings after killings; we are losing precious lives. Statehood should be returned for better normalisation and to end dual-control governance.”