Omar Abdullah fires satire at BJP after ‘backdoor’ charge

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has escalated his political confrontation with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) by releasing a satirical social media post. This move follows the BJP's issuance of a legal notice to Abdullah over his allegations that the ruling party attempted to bribe legislators from his National Conference party.

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If only!

The BJP's Jammu and Kashmir unit demanded proof for Abdullah's claim that the party offered between ₹20 to ₹30 crore to at least one National Conference MLA. The notice also threatened a ₹100-crore defamation suit if Abdullah failed to provide evidence or issue a public apology.

Abdullah, however, dismissed the legal notice, referring to it as a "love letter" and a "mark of respect." He stated that he considered it an honor to be the only politician in Jammu and Kashmir to receive such a notice from the BJP, interpreting it as an acknowledgment of his political influence. He accused the BJP of resorting to legal tactics when faced with political challenges, contrasting it with his own approach of engaging in political debate.

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I have received a letter from a lawyer, an electronic copy. I consider this a great honour as I am the only politician in Jammu and Kashmir to have been bestowed with a love letter like this by the BJP. I consider it a mark of respect that I am obviously a political force in Jammu and Kashmir that they cannot ignore.

Abdullah also indicated his intention to send legal notices to specific BJP leaders whom he accused of making unfounded and slanderous allegations against him. He emphasized that he chose to make his claims publicly rather than within the assembly, where such statements are protected from legal challenge, demonstrating his willingness to engage in political discourse outside protected spaces.

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It is symbolic of the way the BJP fights. They take political fights and hide behind the courts.