Kharge attacks govt over bid on Abdullah’s life, triggers heated exchange in RS

COngress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on th criticised the unification regime o'er the try on former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah’s life, calling it an illustration of failure to secure the region and demanding the restoration of its statehood.Abdullah escaped unhurt in an attack on the outskirts of Jammu on Wednesday. The accused, Kamal Singh Jamwal, was overpowered after firing one shot.Speaking in the Rajya Sabha, Kharge said that law and order is failing and there seem to be plans to “kill important leaders”, triggering a sharp response.Kharge attacked the Union government, which oversees security in Jammu and Kashmir, saying no lesson was learnt from last year’s Pahalgam terror attack, for which lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha had taken responsibility.Kharge asked if the Union government had a plan to assassinate leaders who push for secularism and socialism, triggering protests. He sought the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood, saying people are not “safe in your [Union government]’s hands.”In 2019, Jammu and Kashmir was stripped of its statehood and semi-autonomous status under the Constitution’s Article 370, and divided into two Union territories. In December 2023, the Supreme Court upheld the changes but directed the government to restore statehood “as soon as possible”.Union minister JP Nadda rebuffed Kharge’s comments, saying the government will carry out the necessary investigation. He condemned Kharge’s allegations. “I assure whatever inquiry needs to be done will be carried out…such incidents cannot happen again. But everything cannot be seen through a political lens...giving a political angle is inappropriate.”Nadda slammed Kharge for linking the assassination attempt to the statehood demand. “It is a grave accusation that the government has plans to kill…,” he said. He said Kharge’s accusations reflect the Congress’s way of thinking. Nadda raised the issue of the mysterious death of Syama Prasad Mookerjee, leader of Bharatiya Jana Sangh, a forerunner of the Bharatiya Janata Party, in Jammu and Kashmir in the 1950s.Choudhary Mohammad Ramzan, a Rajya Sabha member of Abdullah’s National Conference, echoed Kharge in pushing for the restoration of statehood. He questioned the absence of police from the incident site. Ramzan said the Special Protection Group personnel and Abdullah’s security managed to overpower the attacker.Ramzan said deputy chief minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary drove the attacker to the local police station. “…where were the police?” he said. He demanded enhanced security for Abdullah.