National Conference president Farooq Abdullah has triggered a political controversy with his remarks about Pakistan’s role in raising the Kashmir issue internationally. The BJP criticised the veteran Jammu and Kashmir politician, with some party leaders describing his comments as seditious and demanding action against him.

Abdullah, who is also a former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, made the remarks while addressing a party workers’ convention in Baramulla on Saturday. He questioned the Indian government’s intentions towards the people of Jammu and Kashmir and credited Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts with helping bring their concerns to international attention.

What Farooq Abdullah said about Pakistan

During his address, Abdullah said Pakistan continued to raise the Kashmir issue at international forums and suggested that pressure from the international community had influenced the Indian government’s response.

He said the neighbouring country was speaking about the unresolved Kashmir issue at different forums and claimed that this was helping protect the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

Abdullah also questioned whether people in the region could expect justice from the government in New Delhi. He urged them to stand up for their rights and warned that failing to do so could threaten their identity.

BJP accuses Abdullah of echoing Pakistan’s narrative

The BJP responded sharply to Abdullah’s comments, with party leaders accusing him of making statements favourable to Pakistan.

BJP national spokesperson RP Singh asked Abdullah to look across the border and consider the condition of Kashmiris on the other side. Singh attributed Jammu and Kashmir’s economic progress and integration with India to the abrogation of Article 370. He also cited tourist arrivals as an indicator of the region’s development.

BJP national council member Yamini Sharma also criticised the National Conference chief. She alleged that his remarks insulted the Indian Constitution and the people of Jammu and Kashmir, and accused his party of echoing Pakistan’s position.

BJP MLA Yudhvir Sethi went further, describing Abdullah’s comments as seditious. He demanded that the former chief minister apologise and called for a sedition case against those making statements he considered anti-national.

The demand for legal action was made by BJP leaders in response to Abdullah’s remarks. The report does not establish that a case had been registered against him.

Kashmir issue remains at the centre of political differences

The controversy reflects continuing political disagreements over Jammu and Kashmir’s relationship with the Union government, the region’s political identity and Pakistan’s efforts to raise the Kashmir issue internationally.

Article 370, which had granted special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, was abrogated by the Centre in August 2019. The former state was subsequently reorganised into the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. The BJP has defended the decision as a step towards Jammu and Kashmir’s fuller integration with India.

Abdullah’s remarks have drawn criticism from BJP leaders, who have accused him of supporting Pakistan’s narrative. The dispute has once again brought competing political positions on Kashmir into focus.

Jamia Millia Islamia in Delhi shifted classes to online mode on October 24 after students protesting for the restoration of student union elections clashed with campus security guards. The confrontation came amid an ongoing agitation over the university’s students’ union, which has been disbanded since 2006.

The protest has continued since October 12, with students seeking the reinstatement of the Jamia Millia Islamia Students’ Union (JMISU). The university had discontinued the union following campus violence that resulted in disruptions to academic activities, according to the report.

Why Jamia students are protesting

The students are demanding the restoration of their union and the resumption of student union elections. Their agitation has included a hunger strike, while the university administration has sought to address the matter through a committee tasked with working on the union’s constitution.

The situation escalated on Saturday when students and security guards clashed on campus. The developments prompted the university to shift classes online as tensions continued around the protest.

The All India Students’ Association (AISA), a student organisation, alleged that the administration acted against students who were on hunger strike without provocation. The university administration rejected the allegation, according to the report.

Jamia registrar makes allegations against Congress MPs

Jamia Registrar Mahtab Alam Rizvi alleged that Congress MPs Imran Pratapgarhi and Imran Masood had visited the campus on October 23 and disturbed the university environment, contributing to the situation surrounding the protest.

Rizvi also alleged that the two leaders entered the campus by jumping over a wall. He said a complaint had been filed with the Delhi Police. These are allegations attributed to the registrar and should not be presented as independently established facts.

The university’s decision to move classes online comes as the dispute over the restoration of the students’ union continues. 

The Congress has formally initiated seat-sharing discussions with the Samajwadi Party (SP) for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, submitting an initial list of constituencies it wants to contest as part of an alliance.

Congress’ Uttar Pradesh in-charge Rajendra Pal Gautam said the party had shared a list covering between 175 and 200 seats with Samajwadi Party leaders a few days ago. Detailed discussions on the distribution of constituencies are expected to follow.

The Uttar Pradesh Assembly has 403 seats. While the Congress is seeking a substantial share in the proposed alliance, the Samajwadi Party has emphasised that candidates’ electoral winnability should determine seat allocation.

A senior SP leader said the party’s position was guided by the principle that winnability should remain the primary criterion. The leader also cautioned against treating initial demands as a basis for a final agreement.

Why the Congress wants a larger share of seats

The Congress believes its performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections has strengthened its position in Uttar Pradesh. The party won six parliamentary seats in the state while its ally, the Samajwadi Party, secured 37. The BJP won 33 seats.

Congress leaders have argued that the results demonstrated the electoral potential of the alliance and the importance of allowing both parties a meaningful role in the upcoming Assembly contest.

However, the party’s recent Assembly election record presents a different picture. The Congress won only two seats in the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, down from seven in 2017, when it contested in alliance with the Samajwadi Party.

The difference between its performance in the parliamentary and Assembly elections is likely to be an important consideration in the seat-sharing negotiations.

Akhilesh Yadav stresses opposition unity

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has maintained that the Congress, the SP and the INDIA bloc need to work together to defeat the BJP in Uttar Pradesh.

Speaking to reporters in Lucknow on Friday, Yadav said the alliance would move forward effectively towards that objective. His remarks indicated that the two parties remain committed to cooperation even as discussions over the distribution of seats continue.

The challenge for both sides will be to reach an arrangement that accommodates their respective political ambitions while taking the electoral strength of individual candidates and constituencies into account.

Congress leadership changes amid alliance talks

The Congress has also reorganised its Uttar Pradesh leadership ahead of the Assembly elections. Aradhana Misra was appointed as the state unit chief, replacing Ajay Rai.

The leadership change is believed by some Congress leaders to be part of efforts to facilitate a workable arrangement with the Samajwadi Party. Misra is considered to have good relations with the SP leadership.

Congress leaders have expressed hope that negotiations will produce a reasonable seat-sharing agreement and confirmed that the two parties intend to contest the 2027 Uttar Pradesh elections together.

The final seat allocation, however, remains undecided. Both parties will need to reconcile the Congress’ demand for a larger share with the SP’s emphasis on winnability before the alliance can settle on a constituency-wise arrangement.