"Proud That I'm Opposing BJP," Omar Abdullah On Amit Shah's 'Parivarvaad' Remarks

Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India] : Reacting to Union Home Minister Amit Shah's remarks on "parivarvaad", National Conference leader Omar Abdullah on Thursday said that the Bharatiya Janata Party has no problem with 'parivarvaad' parties but they have problems with parties that oppose it.

"The BJP has no problem with 'parivarvaad' parties. They have entered into an alliance with Chirag Paswan in Bihar again, recently Amit Shah sahib met Raj Thackeray - is this not parivarwaad? The BJP has a problem with parties that oppose it. And I'm proud that I'm opposing the BJP," Abdullah told reporters on Thursday.

Earlier on Wednesday, Amit Shah said that the political parties that deprived the people of Kashmir of government schemes should be "punished."

"For once, the people of Jammu should have courage, those who deprived the people of Kashmir of central government schemes and many more for 75 years should be punished. People should keep aside these three "parivarvadi' parties (NCP, PDP and Congress)," Amit Shah said on Wednesday.

Earlier, Omar Abdullah said that if simultaneous elections could not be held in Jammu and Kashmir, then how is the government deliberating upon conducting 'one nation, one election' in the future.

Speaking to reporters in Srinagar, Omar Abdullah said, "ECI said that they are ready to conduct elections and political parties are also ready but the administration here stopped the J-K election (from taking place simultaneously with the Lok Sabha election) and said we need more security forces."

The general election for 543 Lok Sabha seats will be held in seven phases starting April 19. The polling will be held in seven phases, starting on April 19, April 26, May 7, May 13, May 20 and June 1 and the counting of votes is scheduled for June 4.

The polling in J-K will be held on five Lok Sabha seats in five phases from Phase 1 to 5- April 19, April 26, May 7, May 13, and May 2.

Polling for the Lok Sabha elections will be conducted in seven phases across the nation from April 19 to June 1. Votes will be counted on June 4.