Amaravati: Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday asserted that Kashmir would always remain an integral part of India come what may.
"We are responsible for the strife in Kashmir..we couldn't take care of the jannat. Let us all make it jannat (paradise) again," Abdullah said at an election rally of the Telugu Desam Party in Kadapa town of Andhra Pradesh.
In the same breath, he said progress of both India and Pakistan would stall if the two remained enemies.
Recalling late Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s words, Abdullah said "If we neighbours remain friends, we both can progress. If we remain enemies, progress of both will stall."
"If we are Hindustani, we want to make Hindustan stronger. We also want our neighbour strong, be honest and end terrorism," he added, referring to Pakistan. The National Conference leader slammed the BJP for raking up the Ram temple issue ahead of elections.
"Before an election, a lot of noise is made that the Ram temple will be built. Have you heard about it after elections? Now they say they attacked Pakistan but don’t say anything else. They think we are fools and that we will fall for their words," Abdullah remarked.
The veteran politician lamented that India of today was "not Gandhis' Hindustan" as people were being discriminated in the name of caste, religion and other things.
"When we see the face of the nation, we get scared thinking, ‘where are we heading?’ I want to tell the BJP leaders that if they think they can strengthen the country, it will only happen when Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, Muslims, brothers and sisters are strong. The country will progress when the youth are employed and families have a decent livelihood," the former Union minister said.
Seeing a prosperous India, free of hunger, was his only wish, Abdullah said. "Before I die, I want to see an India free of hunger, where no mother is hungry and has no dearth of medicines when required. I want to see an India full of factories and lush fields..a prosperous India. Then I will ask Allah to take me away in peace," the NC leader added.
Abdullah, who reached Vijayawada Monday night, accompanied TDP president and AP Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu for campaigning in Kadapa and Kurnool districts, in pockets that have a sizeable Muslim electorate.
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