Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and National Conference (NC) President Farooq Abdullah on Saturday, 24 October made a pointed and controversial claim — that the Indian state's intentions towards Kashmiris are not 'right,' and that it is Pakistan's diplomatic outreach at international forums that is ensuring the Kashmiri voice is heard globally. He made these remarks while addressing a party workers' convention in Baramulla, north Kashmir.

What Farooq Abdullah Said

'Pakistan is going to many places and talking about Kashmiris. That is why the people of Jammu and Kashmir are being saved. Otherwise, India's intentions towards Kashmiris are not right,' Abdullah said, in remarks that are likely to ignite a political firestorm. The NC President, now in his eighties, has a long history of outspoken statements, but this particular claim — crediting Pakistan with protecting Kashmiri interests — stands among his sharpest criticisms of New Delhi's governance of the Union Territory.

This comes amid ongoing tensions between the elected government in Jammu and Kashmir and the Union Territory's administration, which continues to vest significant powers in the Lieutenant Governor's office.

Attack on the LG Administration

Abdullah did not stop at geopolitical commentary. He launched a direct broadside against the current Jammu and Kashmir administration, alleging that health sector files have been pending with the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha's office for over a year without resolution. He described the delay as emblematic of governance dysfunction that has stripped elected bodies of meaningful authority.

On the issue of medical education, he said students who study in the Union Territory are required to serve for two years in hospitals upon completion of their degrees, failing which they must pay a penalty of ₹40 lakh to the state. He alleged that even the file governing this policy has lain unactioned with the LG's office for over a year.

Earlier, Abdullah said, the director and committee of medical institutes held the authority to decide on equipment procurement and doctor appointments — powers he alleged have since been stripped by the current dispensation. 'I asked him that you have finished the autonomy, he admitted it on my face,' he claimed, in an apparent reference to a private conversation with a senior official.

Message to NC Workers on Political Loyalty

The former Chief Minister also turned his address inward, delivering a stern message to National Conference workers about political sincerity. Questioning the tendency of some workers to align with the party only when it holds power, he asked pointedly: 'Today there is a government, and you are with us. If you want to remain with this Jamaat, will you remain only as long as this government is there?'

He stressed that the strength of any political organisation lies in the sincerity and dedication of its members, not in electoral victories or access to power. 'Have the courage to face them, if you don't, you will be wiped out,' he warned, urging workers to raise their voices for their rights without fear.

National Allegiance and a Concluding Note

Seeking to contextualise his criticisms within a broader framework of national belonging, Abdullah was careful to add: 'We will progress with the nation and we will also sacrifice for the nation, but I tell those who are in power today to correct themselves.' He concluded by invoking a personal moral accountability, saying he answers to Allah, and that is why he speaks the truth before the public.

His remarks are expected to draw sharp responses from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and ruling NDA constituents, who have previously questioned the NC's stance on Pakistan. How the Union Territory administration responds to his allegations on governance and the LG's office will be closely watched in the coming days.