Jammu, March 12 (NationPress) Following the failed assassination attempt on him, former Chief Minister Dr. Farooq Abdullah expressed on Thursday that he has never wished harm upon anyone and questioned the motives behind the attack.

During a press interaction at his Bhatindi home in Jammu, Dr. Abdullah remarked, “I have never had any ill will towards anyone. My doors are always open to everyone. People visit me, and I listen to their concerns, striving to assist them whenever I can. Even during my tenure as chief minister, I have never caused harm to anyone.”

The veteran politician mentioned that Union Home Minister Amit Shah reached out to him on Wednesday night. “He inquired about my well-being. I replied that, by the grace of Allah, I am well. He informed me that the assailant has been apprehended and that they will investigate the matter thoroughly and update me. I expressed my gratitude to him,” he shared.

Dr. Abdullah declined to speculate on whether the attack was part of a larger conspiracy. “How can I know that? It’s up to the investigators to uncover that. As for me, I do not know the assailant and cannot recall ever having seen him,” he said.

He noted that he saw the assailant's photo for the first time the previous evening on a mobile device.

Dr. Abdullah commended the security personnel from J&K Police and the NSG commandos assigned to protect him. “I am thankful to the J&K Police and the NSG for their protection. When the incident occurred, I felt a sudden heat at the back of my neck,” he recounted.

“Then I heard a noise that I initially thought was a firecracker. The security team subdued him, and in the process, the shot from his firearm discharged into the air. I was promptly taken into a vehicle. Later, I learned that two shots had been fired. The incident transpired during a wedding ceremony with numerous distinguished attendees, but there was no local police presence at the venue,” he asserted.

Dr. Abdullah pointed out that such incidents are indicative of escalating terrorism in the nation. He urged the Central government and the Lieutenant Governor to stop claiming that circumstances in J&K have normalized. “We are not able to move about freely,” he added.

When asked if the occurrence could have been avoided if J&K had statehood, he replied, “I won’t state that, but I can assert that an elected government exists in J&K, yet it lacks authority. Where is the statehood? It was promised in Parliament and the Supreme Court. Years have passed, and still, we lack statehood,” he emphasized.

He underscored that India is a democracy, where everyone has the right to express their opinions.

“I may not agree with what they (BJP) express, and they may not agree with my views. However, we must coexist, as that embodies the essence of our democracy,” he noted, while adding that the space for dissent in the country has diminished.

On the Supreme Court's decision to grant bail to separatist leader Shabir Shah today, he said, “I extend my greetings to him on his bail. All of them should be released and encouraged to collaborate for the peace and welfare of the country,” he remarked.