‘Cowardly Firing’: Political Leaders Condemn Attack On Farooq Abdullah, Demand Probe
National Conference president Farooq Abdullah was attacked by a gunman at a marriage function in Jammu on Wednesday night. The incident drew major criticism from political leaders across the country. According to sources, Union Home Minister Amit Shah made a phone call to former Jammu and Kashmir CM and inquired about his health.
J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah reacted sharply and condemned the attack on his father. “Allah is kind. My father had a very close shave.” In a post on X, he said the details are sketchy at the moment but what is known is that a man with a loaded pistol was able to get “within point blank range” and discharge a shot.
“It was only the close protection team that deflected the shot & ensured that the assassination attempt failed. There are more questions than answers at the moment including but not limited to how someone was able to get this close to a Z+ NSG protected former CM,” the chief minister said.
Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary, who was also present with Dr Farooq Abdullah during the attack, expressed concern and called out the “security lapse.” “It is a very serious security lapse. When the former chief minister, deputy chief minister and the adviser are present at a function, and if a person can enter inside with a gun, then you can imagine what the security arrangements were like,” he said.
Congress leader Ashok Gehlot on Thursday reacted to the incident and called for a probe into the matter. “I am concerned after hearing the news of a life-threatening attack on Farooq Abdullah. An attack taking place despite the presence of police and tight security is a very serious matter,” Gehlot, the former Rajasthan chief minister, said.
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, the chief priest of Kashmir, condemned the attack. “News about the attempt on Dr Farooq Abdullah Sahibs life at a function in Jammu is concerning and condemnable,” Mirwaiz posted on his X handle.
National Conference MP Aga Ruhullah Mehdi and Peoples Conference chief Sajad Lone also condemned the attack.
