File Photo: Omar Abdullah
Omar Abdullah said no party can revoke Article 370 without re-opening the entire issue of accession of Jammu and Kashmir to India.
"As far as Article 370 is concerned, let us understand it cannot be revoked without reopening the entire question of accession of Jammu and Kashmir to India. If the BJP is prepared to reopen that question, we have no problem talking about it. The problem is the BJP is absolutely unclear about what it wants," he said.
The Chief Minister claimed he had approached BJP Prime Ministerial nominee Narendra Modi for a discussion on the issue but he retreated.
"When their Prime Ministerial candidate came to Jammu some months ago and very grandly announced that he is willing to talk to anybody about Article 370 and I said fine, I am ready. Tell me where and when I will come and talk to you. The answer I got from BJP was that he was too busy, and he is too higher level to talk to me. If this is their attitude about a dialogue it shows their seriousness and I do not think we should be unduly concerned about it," Mr Abdullah claimed.
Criticising the BJP for its leader Amit Shah's "revenge" speech in Bijnore, Mr Abdullah said the Election Commission should closely look into the issue.
"I think that is the matter that the EC needs to look at closely because clearly there is a divergence between what they say and what they intend. All this talk about development is negated when Amit Shah stands up and tells that this is for revenge," he said.
Mr Abdullah also took a dig at BJP for seeking votes in the name of Mr Modi, saying the country has a lot to fear from "personality cult" that has developed in the saffron party.
"If revenge is their motive then I think this country has a lot to fear from the personality cult that has been developed."
"Earlier, we thought the people had been asked to vote for a BJP government, for an alliance government, now it is not a BJP or alliance government. It is almost like we are being asked to vote for a dictatorship of an individual and that individual is hell bent on revenge which is clear from his right hand man who has let the cat out of the bag perhaps by mistake," he said.