National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said the distribution of arms to people is the biggest proof of the BJP government’s “failure” to check spread of terrorism in the otherwise peaceful Jammu region.
The former chief minister was apparently referring to the revival of village defence guards and arming them with self-loading rifles by replacing their .303 rifles in the Jammu region which has witnessed a spurt in terror activities over the past few years.
Addressing an election rally in support of party candidate Mehbooba Iqbal in Bhaderwah of Doda district, Abdullah also accused the BJP of supporting smaller groups and independent candidates with the sole motive of forming the next government with their help even as they went to jails and openly talked about merger of Kashmir with Pakistan.
“Nowadays, guns are being distributed among BJP workers which is the biggest proof of the BJP and its government‘s failure to check the spread of terrorism in peaceful Jammu region,” he said.
“The weapons are being distributed because they have allowed terrorism to grow in Jammu which was completely cleared of the menace by our government before 2014. The people are being armed because the situation in Jammu has deteriorated and people are worried,” he said