Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday criticised National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah over his comments regarding 2001 Parliament Attack convict Afzal Guru. In an exclusive interview to news agency ANI, Abdullah had said that his hanging had served no purpose. Hitting out at Abdullah, Rajnath Singh on Sunday said, "Omar Abdullah recently said Afzal Guru should not have been hanged. I ask him, should Afzal Guru have been garlanded instead?"
The Defence Minister accused the party of siding and sympathising with the terrorists.
Speaking at a rally in Ramban, Rajnath Singh also spoke about how nearly 40,000 jobs have been created in the past five years in J&K under the BJP government. "National Conference has been talking about restoring Article 370, but in the last five years, 40,000 jobs have been created," he said.
Rajnath added that once the BJP forms the government in the region, their development efforts would be so strong that people in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK) would want to join India.
"Once our government is formed in Jammu and Kashmir, we will carry out development that will make the people of Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK) want to become part of India," Singh added.
Assembly elections for Jammu and Kashmir will be held in three phases, beginning on September 18.
(With inputs from agencies)