"He is justifying this terror attack": BJP's Ravinder Raina on Farooq Abdullah's statement regarding Kulgam terror attack

Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], August 1 : BJP leader Ravinder Raina on Saturday criticised National Conference president Farooq Abdullah over his remarks linking the Kulgam terror attack to the demand for restoration of statehood in Jammu and Kashmir, calling the statement "highly controversial" and "deeply unfortunate".
Speaking to ANI, Raina said that in the wake of the killing of innocent labourers by terrorists in Kulgam, the nation expects political leaders to stand united against terrorism instead of making speculative remarks.
"He is a very responsible person, and in the context of the terror attack that took place in Kulgam, Farooq Abdullah made a highly controversial statement that is deeply unfortunate. When innocent labourers are brutally murdered by terrorists, the nation expects every political leader to stand united against terrorism, not to make any speculative statements, create confusion, or divert attention from the perpetrators," Raina said.
Raina said the focus should remain on defeating terrorism rather than politicising the incident. Raina also asserted that statehood is a separate constitutional matter and should not be linked to terror incidents.
"He is justifying this terror attack and relating this attack to statehood. This is highly condemnable. Every leader should unequivocally condemn the killers and express solidarity with the victim families. Terrorists must be defeated with national unity and not by politicising such a tragic incident. Statehood is a constitutional and democratic issue. Relating the terror attack to the statehood issue is an unjustified statement," he added.
Earlier in the day, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah called for a thorough investigation into the killing of two migrant workers in the Kellam area of Kulgam district, saying the perpetrators must be identified.
Addressing reporters, Abdullah said it was not yet known who was behind the attack and questioned why such incidents occurred whenever the demand for restoration of statehood gained momentum.
"It is not even known who carried out the attack or who the perpetrators are. There must be an investigation to identify the attackers. I do not know why this happens only when we ask for the restoration of statehood," Abdullah said.
Meanwhile, JD(U) Jammu and Kashmir State President G M Shaheen condemned the killing of the two non-local labourers and blamed Pakistan for attempting to disturb peace in the Union Territory.
"It is unfortunate that Pakistan simply won't mend its ways. The killing of non-local labourers is shameful and inhumane. They cannot manage their own territories, yet disrupting peace in someone else's home is in their nature. They will certainly face a response. These militants do not last long; they are usually eliminated within 15 to 20 days. We have full faith in our security forces," Shaheen told ANI in Srinagar.
BJP leader Altaf Thakur also condemned the attack, alleging that Pakistan was trying to disrupt peace in Jammu and Kashmir during the ongoing Amarnath Yatra.
"The Bharatiya Janata Party strongly condemns the killing of the two labourers who had come to earn a livelihood and support their families. Pakistan is repeatedly attempting to disturb peace in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly while the Amarnath Yatra is underway. This is a conspiracy to sabotage the pilgrimage," Thakur said.
He also called for greater vigilance by the security establishment, saying the recent attacks had raised concerns.
"This is the second such incident in just 10 days, which raises questions regarding the alertness of security forces and the functioning of intelligence agencies. Whether it is intelligence agencies, the police, the CRPF or any other force operating here, there is a need for heightened alertness. They must maintain a sharp vigil to prevent such incidents and ensure Pakistan does not succeed in its attempts to shatter peace or disrupt the Amarnath Yatra," he said.
Thakur added that the attacks were a matter of concern, especially at a time when tourism was witnessing a revival in the Valley.
"It is certainly concerning that, despite the ongoing Yatra and the significant security presence deployed, two terror attacks have occurred in Kashmir, resulting in the loss of three lives. This is by no means a positive development, especially when tourism is flourishing. The government needs to treat this matter with the utmost seriousness," he said.
Referring to the constitutional changes made in 2019, he said, "Article 370 was revoked, and the state was downgraded to a Union Territory on the promise that terrorism would end. Six years later, if killings are still taking place."
Earlier today, a second migrant worker, who was critically injured in last evening's terrorist attack, succumbed to his injuries, officials said.
According to officials, the man had been undergoing treatment at a local hospital after terrorists opened fire on non-local labourers yesterday. Despite the best efforts of the medical team, he passed away early this morning. One migrant worker was killed in the firing yesterday.
Following the incident, security forces cordoned off the entire Kellam area and launched a massive search operation to track down the attackers.