Omar accuses BJP of trying to silence other parties
22 Jul 2008
Mumbai: National Conference leader Omar Abdullah today come down heavily against the Bharatiya Janata Party, accusing it of trying to silence parties like his by raking up issues of money being paid to buy MPs.
''It's a great misfortune for parties like mine. I don't know whether the claim of crores being paid to MPs was genuine, but I certainly believe the issue was raised to silence parties like mine,'' a Omar Abdullah said.
He also refuted claims that the Indo-US nuclear pact has anything to do with the Muslim religion. ''I'm an Indian, I'm a Muslim. I don't know why I should fear the nuke deal.''
''Enemies of Indian Muslims are not America or deals like these, but poverty, hunger, lack of development and absence of voice,'' he added.
''I made a mistake to be with the NDA, especially after Gujarat riots happened. My conscience had asked me to quit NDA, but I didn't. My conscience has still not forgiven me,'' but added that he does not aspire to be member of the UPA..
He also accused the Left parties for levelling untenable charges. ''Left is telling me all secular parties must unite to bring down this UPA government. The same Left had termed me communal when I was in NDA,'' he pointed out.
''We don't demolish mandirs, masjids like communal BJP. We don't switch sides like the Left. And we support this secular UPA government in the confidence motion,'' Omar concluded.
