“We believed and had faith in them (the establishment) for ten years, but they said one thing and did the other. Our educated children protested and faced batons,” he said, adding that he cannot explain the atrocities inflicted on NC workers.

He appealed to the people to unite for safeguarding the future of the Union Territory and for their support in the upcoming Assembly elections. His comments come against the backdrop of a series of terror attacks in both Jammu and Kashmir.

Senior BJP leaders and former deputy chief ministers, Nirmal Singh and Kavinder Gupta, described Abdullah’s statement as “utterly baseless” and made “out of frustration after having lost political relevance” in the J&K.

Abdullah often makes such statements but no one takes them seriously, Singh told reporters in Doda, adding that the NC leader is known for speaking “nonsense”.
Gupta said Abdullah’s reckless and baseless accusations are nothing but a desperate attempt to regain lost political ground. “His insinuations of collusion between our honorable Indian Army and terrorists are not only unfounded but also a grave insult to the brave men and women who sacrifice their lives to protect our nation,” he said.

Ghulam Nabi Azad-led Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) also took objection to Abdullah’s remarks. “He is a senior politician and it is very unfortunate that he has questioned the bravery of the Indian Army,” a DPAP spokesperson said.