BJP should stop behaving like it won 400 seats in LS polls, says Omar Abdullah

Srinagar, Jul 4 (PTI) National Conference (NC) vice president Omar Abdullah on Thursday said the BJP should change its attitude and stop behaving as if it won 400 seats in the Lok Sabha elections.

Speaking to reporters after the conclusion of the two-day meeting of the NC's working committee, Abdullah, while replying to a question on the treatment of opposition members in Parliament, said everyone has the right to put forth their views in a democracy.

He also said the expunction of parts of speeches of opposition leaders in the Lok Sabha was not good.

"As far as Parliament is concerned, (NC's Srinagar MP Aga Syed) Ruhullah (Mehdi) himself was a victim of the speaker's will. A part of his speech after the election of the speaker was expunged because the speaker was not happy with him. A part of the LoP (speech) was expunged on the insistence of the BJP. This is not good. Everyone has the right to put forth his views in a democracy," Abdullah said.

The NC vice president said if there are no abuses or improper words in a member's speech, "then these things should not have been expunged from the records".

"But who will remind the BJP that while they used to talk about 400 (seats), they could not cross 240. The BJP should change its attitude to some extent. They talk as if they have 400 MPs in Parliament (Lok Sabha). They only have 240. We hope the opposition and its members are not treated like this," he added.

In his first speech as the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha on Monday, Rahul Gandhi had launched a no-holds-barred attack on the BJP, accusing the leaders of the ruling party of dividing people on communal lines. Certain remarks he made during the discussion on the Motion of Thanks on the President's address were later expunged.

Gandhi had on Tuesday written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, saying "selective expunction" defies logic and that the remarks be restored.

To a question on the controversy surrounding the Agniveer scheme, Abdullah said it was one of the main reasons behind the BJP winning fewer seats in the general elections and that the government should scrap the scheme.

"It is an old issue. Votes were cast against the BJP over that. One of the main reasons for the BJP's defeat was that those areas from where people join the armed forces did not accept Agniveer.

"The BJP should accept the mandate of the people, cancel the Agniveer scheme and replace it with something else," he said.

Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday alleged that Defence Minister Rajnath Singh "lied" in Parliament about the issue of compensation to families of martyred Agniveers and demanded an apology for it.

He also shared a video on X purportedly of the father of a deceased Agniveer who stated that Singh had claimed that Rs 1 crore compensation had been given to the next of kin of martyred Agniveers but no such assistance was received by his family.

Later in the day, the Indian Army rejected claims in social media posts and said the Agniveer's family has already been given Rs 98.39 lakh out of the due amount.

Asked about Prime Minister Narendra Modi not mentioning Jammu and Kashmir while talking about assembly elections in some states, Abdullah said there was no reason to doubt that the assembly polls in the union territory will not be held in time.

He said, "Why should we always hope that the PM will talk about J&K? A few days before that, the PM came here, did yoga and assured the people that elections will take place soon and people will elect their government. After that, where is the scope for doubt?" "The Election Commission has started its preparations, it has said that elections will be conducted soon. The home minister has said the process of election will be concluded before the deadline of the Supreme Court. I do not think there is any scope for doubt, the elections will take place and we are ready for those elections," he added.

Asked whether the NC will enter into a pre-poll alliance with its INDIA bloc partners, Abdullah said that decision has been left to party president Farooq Abdullah.

"Whatever the president thinks is better, we will abide by that decision," he said.

On the Jammu and Kashmir Police chief R R Swain reported remarks that those found assisting militants should be tried under the Enemy Agents Ordinance, the NC vice president said such decisions will not be "imposed" on people when elections are held in J&K and it has its own government.

During the NC's working committee meeting, Abdullah said, discussions were held on the prevailing political situation in Jammu and Kashmir, steps to strengthen the organisation, and preparations for the forthcoming elections. PTI