Release of terrorists for Rubaiya Sayeed, hijacked IC-814 plane responsible for J-K terror: Farooq

Farooq Abdullah criticizes PM Modi, blames terrorism growth on 1989 and 1999 incidents, opposes 'one nation, one election' plan.

Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) President Farooq Abdullah on Thursday hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying the release of terrorists in exchange for Rubaiya Sayeed in 1989 and Indian Airlines planes in Afghanistan in 1999 are responsible for the growth of terrorism in the region.

Mr. Abdullah was replying to PM Modi's speech in an election rally at Srinagar earlier in the day, accusing the National Conference (NC), Congress, and People's Democratic Party (PDP) of "destruction" of Jammu and Kashmir.

Also read | PM Modi in Srinagar LIVE updates

The former J&K Chief Minister said the people should be thankful that the NC was there in 1947 at the time of partition; otherwise, the Muslim majority state would have become a part of Pakistan.

Talking to reporters on the sidelines of an election rally in Udhampur east in support of the party candidate Sunil Verma, the NC president also opposed the 'one nation, one election' plan of the BJP-led government and accused the party of spreading hatred in the country.

Asked about the statement of the Prime Minister in Srinagar accusing the three families — NC, Congress and PDP — for destroying Jammu and Kashmir, Mr. Abdullah asked who released hardcore terrorists at Kandahar, Afghanistan, in December 1999 in exchange for the hijacked 814 Indian Airlines plane and for abducting Rubaiya Sayeed, daughter of the then Home Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, in 1989.

Rubaiya is the sister of PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti.