‘Time will tell who is azad, who is ghulam’: Omar Abdullah hits out at ex-Cong leader over his ‘secret meeting’ claim

Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) President Ghulam Nabi Azad clarified and denied saying that Farooq Abdullah meets Prime Minister Modi.

By: Express Web Desk

New Delhi | Updated: February 19, 2024 07:58 PM IST

4 min read

Omar's reaction comes follow Azad's interview to a TV channel which was aired on Monday. He was quoted as claiming that the Abdullahs were aware of the abrogation of Article 370 in J-K. (Express file photos)

Former Jammu and Kashmir CM and the National Conference (NC) leader Omar Abdullah lashed out at Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) President Ghulam Nabi Azad Monday for his comments that NC chief Farooq Abdullah and he were consulted before the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution.

Claiming that he has “stooped so low” by making “baseless and senseless allegations,” Omar Abdullah in a post on X said: “Wah bhai wah Ghulam Nabi Azad, so much bile today. Where is the Ghulam that was begging us for Rajya Sabha seats in J&K as recently as 2015? “Abdullahs knew about 370” yet we were detained for more than 8 months including under PSA & you were free, the only ex CM in J&K free after 5th Aug. “Abdullahs meet secretly” yet my father is the one thrown out of his Govt house when he wasn’t MP & you are allowed to keep your ministerial bungalow? “Abdullahs say one thing in Kashmir & another in Delhi” yet PM cries for you in Rajya Sabha & criticises us in every speech. Let’s not forget the Padma award for which you agreed to leave Congress & help BJP in Chenab valley. Who is azad & who is ghulam, time will tell & people will decide.”

Omar’s reaction comes follow Azad’s interview to a TV channel which was aired on Monday. He was quoted as claiming that the Abdullahs were aware of the abrogation of Article 370 in J-K. “In Delhi, it was everywhere that they were consulted and they said put us in jail so they won’t have to take a public position… It could be gossip, I’m not saying I have evidence… They met and two days later when Article 370 was abrogated…not arrested, but put under house arrest…” he said in the interview.

Azad also accused Farooq Abdullah of playing the religion card to woo Hindu votes by visiting temples and singing “bhajans”.

Later, Azad clarified and denied making the statements. “I never claimed that he (Farooq Abdullah) met him (PM Modi). I said that through sources in Delhi, it has come to be known that he tries to meet central leadership that too only at night. I never said that he met or got an appointment…” he told ANI.

Meanwhile Farooq Abdullah said it was a sad day to see “Azad stooping so low in his political utterances only to remain in the political circuit. A leader like him should not be circulating what he himself has termed gossip”.

“He has to clarify actually which side of the fence he was on. He has been enjoying every perk even after ceasing to be a member of the Rajya Sabha. The question is, how?” the NC leader asked.

The former Union minister and the Lok Sabha MP from Srinagar, said he and several other leaders, held a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi ahead of the Centre’s August 5, 2019 decision to revoke Jammu and Kashmir’s special status.

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“Whatever we have to do, we do it in broad daylight. Why should one ask for time at night…?” Abdullah asked and described Azad’s statement as childish and laughable.

— With PTI inputs

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