Am safe by God’s grace: Farooq Abdullah

Jammu, Mar 12: Hours after an abortive bid on his life, National Conference President and former chief minister Farooq Abdullah on Thursday said that the Union Home Minister Amit Shah called him and assured action by means of thorough investigation into the incident (bid) and results soon.

The Home Minister asserted that he (Abullah) would be intimated about it (outcome of probe), the former chief minister said.

The NC president said that in response (to HM’s assurance), he hoped that they would be able to unravel truth.

“Yes, he (Union Home Minister) called me last night and asked about my well-being. I said – By God’s grace, I am safe. I remained unhurt. He told me that they had caught him (accused) and he would be thoroughly investigated. ‘Following it (investigation), you would be intimated about the incident or what exactly happened’ – Home Minister assured me,” Abdullah said.

He was responding to media queries at his Bhatindi residence during his first interaction, after surviving an assassination bid during a marriage ceremony at Greater Kailash in Jammu outskirts late Wednesday evening.

After the Union Home Minister assured him of action and results very soon, what exactly he (Abdullah) conveyed to him (HM) while talking to him, responding to this query, the NC president said, “I said to him- Thank you for calling and I hope that you will be able to get down to unravel it and I wished him well.”

When asked what exactly happened on Wednesday night and how it impacted him, the former chief minister thanked the Almighty, saying that he was absolutely fine as God saved him.

The NC president, then maintaining a cool demeanour, recalled moments when he had a close shave. “Following the arrival of the bride, we took permission from them (hosts) to leave. As I stepped out of Mandap (marriage venue) and started walking, I just heard the sound of a cracker. I presumed it was a firecracker as the bursting of fire-crackers during weddings was nothing unusual. Therefore, I imagined that probably a firecracker exploded by my side or behind me and that’s why I felt a burning sensation,” he said.

“By then they (security personnel and others) hurriedly put me in the vehicle. There, in the vehicle on the way home, they broke this news to me that the man was having a pistol and he had fired two shots (aiming at me). It so happened that before he could fire a second shot, our security personnel and others tried to overpower him (the accused). One of the security personnel tried to pull him (accused) away by grabbing his arm from behind. That made him (accused) destabilised and the pistol went up and it misfired. In the meanwhile, the security personnel overpowered him and took his pistol, however the (second) shot was already fired, though in the air,” the former chief minister said, drawing the verbal sketch of the spectre, when a bid was made in a startling turn of events where the man was able to reach just behind him.

Abdullah said that he only knew that much even after he reached his residence (at Bhatindi).

“I don’t know that man…Neither I know him nor aware about his antecedents…How could I know his intentions and what enmity he had against me? I’ve done no wrong, never nursed any ill-will against anyone. I never harmed anyone,” the NC president said, in response to a question about the statement made by the accused during Police interrogation that he had been preparing for the last 20 years to target him (Abdullah) because of some personal grouse.

He said that in fact, even when he was the chief minister, he went out of way to help a person whosoever approached him for any kind of assistance.

“I used to make extra efforts to redress the grievances of those in the opposition and I would shower more love and affection upon them (people in the opposition) than those from my party. I have never harboured a feeling of animosity or hatred in my heart against anyone. I don’t know what was his (accused’s) issue; reason for his enmity,” Abdullah said.

DID SECURITY LAPSE LEAD TO INCIDENT?

Was it (incident) a security lapse?

Faced with this query, the NC president did not mince words while pointing towards gaping holes on that account.

“If I say it’s a security lapse, that will be a big statement. Major question is that the majority of the guests in that wedding function were very high-profiled dignitaries. Keeping that fact in view, the Police should have made adequate security arrangements which were simply not in place. There was no arrangement of Police at the venue, not at all. All thanks to the Almighty that my security was there with me and also that of our ministers. Besides, our MLAs were there. They all showed exemplary courage and I was saved; left unhurt,” he said.

When asked if he (Farooq) too favoured a thorough investigation (as promised by the Union Home Minister), NC president said that it was up to them (Centre) but it should be definitely held to unravel the truth, reason behind the incident.

“See, not just for me, it (security) should have been there but many dignitaries had come to that wedding. Therefore, it was necessary to have protection at such an event. Especially in the prevailing circumstances where the hatred has become a predominant sentiment and its web has spread everywhere, such incidents keep happening. Thus, we all need to be extra cautious,” the former chief minister said.

He pointed out that the hatred had taken roots in the country. “No religion teaches hatred. All religions teach compassion and harmony, But the growing hatred had left no room for those promoting amity, peace and brotherhood,” Abdullah said.

ELECTED GOVERNMENT SANS POWER IN ABSENCE OF STATEHOOD

With regard to the accusation of the Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge that such incidents were happening because J&K was deprived of its statehood, the NC president said that the (elected government) could be held responsible for the incident (bid), if the state had been restored to J&K.

“There is an elected government in place yet it has no power. How can it happen and how can it work? Elections were conducted and during elections, it was promised that the statehood would be restored and your grievances would be redressed. Now so many years have passed – Where is that statehood which was promised not just in the Parliament but also in the Supreme Court? In that case (had the statehood been restored), they could have pointed the finger at us,” Abdullah said.

Asked if crimes were increasing in Jammu and Kashmir due to the absence of statehood, he said, “Crimes are all pervasive and all across the country. Poverty is on rise. And in the prevailing scenario, in the backdrop of the Iran war, it will spiral up. Rising poverty and global developments would worsen economic conditions.

Not just poor but the middle class would also suffer due to rising prices.”

In the same breath, he called upon the Centre to use its good offices to end ongoing conflicts.

“I would request them as they share friendship with Donald Trump and also with Benjamin Netanyahu. For God’s sake, tell them to stop the war. It is necessary,” he said.

In response to a query about the role of his security personnel, Abdullah effusively praised his Special Security Group (SSG) and NSG cover for protecting him while risking their own lives.

“I don’t have words to appreciate and thank my security personnel,” he said.

Did the downgrading of his security result in such an incident? Responding to this query, Abdullah said, “Notwithstanding the elaborate security cover or an increase in security, the assassin always has an advantage. He exactly knows where he wants to target you and what he wants to do and when. So, security could not be the main issue.”

On whether the incident had a terror angle, the former chief minister said that he could not say anything on that account.

“I cannot point the finger at anyone. The terrorism is a global challenge. We live in an era where terrorism is up in the sky. It cannot be controlled as it too has become all pervasive,” the NC president said.

Responding to allegations by some leaders of his party that the attack on him indicated a political conspiracy, the former chief minister said if it was there, it would come to the fore following investigation.

“But in this scenario, I request the Centre and the Lieutenant Governor that when they repeatedly say the situation has completely improved, they should introspect and see if it has actually become safe enough for us to move around with dignity. There may be differences of opinion and that was intrinsic to a democracy,” he said.

“India’s strength lies in its secular and democratic character. We may disagree, but we all have to live together,” the three-time chief minister said.

In a related query, the NC president welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision to grant bail to Kashmiri separatist leader Shabir Shah. “That is a very welcome thing. I say that all others behind bars should be released. They should come out and help make this country better so that people can live here with dignity and humanity,” he said and in the same context, referred to the continued displacement of Kashmiri Pandits.

“They been living away from their homes for the last 34 years. The time has come for us to live together,” he said.

In response to a question about the justification of use of force by US-Israel to effect regime change in Iran, he quoted Jawahar Lal Nehru and Manmohan Singh to convey the point that it was to be decided by a sovereign nation itself. “Like Dr Manmohan Singh had said – India is a sovereign nation. What is in the interest of a sovereign nation, it will decide,” Abdullah said.