BJP manifesto: Omar Abdullah dubs document as ‘mere sloganeering’

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Monday termed BJP's manifesto as "mere sloganeering" and said issues like Common Civil Code, Ram temple and Article 370 are handles for the party to come to power.

The similar views were echoed by his father and president of National Conference Farooq Abdullah who said BJP was trying "to fool people by selling dreams".

Omar, who has been aggressively campaigning for Congress candidates in Jammu and Udhampur Lok Sabha seats, reminded people that this was not the first time that issues like Article 370, Ram Mandir and Common Civil Code have been raised by BJP.

"Please tell me when did they actually address these issues when they were in power. What was done by them on these issues?" Omar asked, reacting to BJP manifesto.

He said BJP uses these issue as "handles" to come to power and the moment they reach their destination, these points are put on the back burner. "This is purely an effort to hoodwink the voters of this country," he said.

In its manifesto, BJP has promised abrogation of Article 370, saying if the party came to power, it would hold talks with all stakeholders.

The party also promised return of all Kashmiri Pandits to their homes in the Valley besides development of all three regions and addressing issues of refugees from Pakistani occupied Kashmir.

Omar, who toured the Kashmiri Pandit camps at Jagati in Jammu, said his government was able to bring some families back to the Valley without making much noise.

He said his government was committed to improve the security environment in the Valley so that they can consider returning home.

The senior Abdullah, who has been camping for the National Conference-Congress alliance candidates, said BJP dare not even touch the issue of Article 370. "I wonder how many times they will lie," he said.

Abdullah regretted that Babri Masjid issue was again brought to the fore by BJP in its manifesto and posed, "What can you make of a party which talks about the issues that are bound to hit the secular fabric of this country?"

BJP has promised to explore all possibilities within the Constitution to construct Ram temple.