Ram Madhav said he wasn't questioning Omar Abdullah's patriotism and didn't mean to "offend" him.
Highlights
- Ram Madhav suggested Omar Abdullah-PDP tie-up on Pak "instructions"
- Mr Abdullah dared the BJP leader to prove his allegation
- Mr Madhav tweeted, saying he didn't mean to "offend" Mr Abdullah
After alleging a Pakistani hand in Jammu and Kashmir rivals Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah coming together to try and form government, BJP leader Ram Madhav today waved a white flag. An angry Omar Abdullah had dared him and the central government to prove the allegation. The massive row started with Ram Madhav alleging that Omar Abdullah's National Conference and Mehbooba Mufti's Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had joined hands on instructions from "across the border". The BJP leader was justifying Governor Satya Pal Malik's decision to dissolve the Jammu and Kashmir assembly after two alliances staked claim to form government.
"PDP and NC boycotted local body polls last month because they had instructions from across the border. Probably they had fresh instructions from across the border to come together and form government. What they did prompted the governor to look into the whole issue," Mr Madhav told news agency ANI.
Hours later, he tweeted to Omar Abdullah taking back his comments. But not without throwing in a dig.
Omar Abdullah had dared Mr Madhav to prove his allegation, saying agencies like the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), National Investigation Agency and Intelligence Bureau were at his disposal.
"Your allegations are an insult to thousands of my workers... 3,000 workers have sacrificed for this nations. More of my party workers have sacrificed than your party ever has. Don't lecture us on sacrifice and question what we have done," Mr Abdullah said at a press conference in Srinagar, demanding an apology.
"You come along with nothing but baseless allegations and say whatever you like with no evidence of it. If you have guts, prove it."
The two also sparred on Twitter.
Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik's decision to dissolve the assembly has been questioned by opposition parties who have alleged that he acted after consulting the ruling BJP at the centre. Governor Malik has called the Mehbooba Mufti-Omar Abdullah team an "unholy and opportunistic alliance".