Farooq Abdullah Glorifies Terrorists, Says Kashmiris Joining Militancy Are ‘Sacrificing Lives For Freedom’

Former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir and National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah on Friday glorified terrorists, saying those becoming militants were sacrificing their lives for the freedom of the nation.

Addressing workers at the Nawa-e-Subh party headquarters in Srinagar, Abdullah said: “Our youth are giving sacrifices. They don’t want to become MLA, MP or minister. They are rendering sacrifices demanding their rights. This is our land and we are its owners, you are not. This should not be forgotten”.

“They have left (their homes). Everybody loves his life. Nobody wants to die. But they left (their homes) to fulfil their promise with God (and they say) we will give our lives to make this nation free,” he added.

Abdullah's statement came days after Army Chief General Bipin Rawat warned stone pelters not to interfere with army operations in Kashmir.

General Rawat had earlier this month said: "People who have picked up arms, the local boys, if they want to continue with such acts of terrorism and display flags of ISIS and Pakistan, then we will treat them as anti-national elements and go helter-skelter for them. They may survive today but we will get them tomorrow. Our relentless operations will continue."

General Rawat's statement had come in the backdrop of a protest that broke out last Friday near the Jamia Masjid in Srinagar with protestors pelting stones and raising Pakistan flags.

The Army Chief's statement triggered controversy with some parties saying that he should not have made such a sensitive statement.

With inputs from ANI