Srinagar:
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has slammed People's Democratic Party (PDP) for misrepresenting the map of the state, saying such an act is unacceptable.
"Giving away a portion of our state as a gift is unacceptable. And to add, in a state where religion is of such importance, inducing Communist rule is a dangerous thought, which we should consider. Now, why PDP gave away a part to a Communist country is something only they can answer," Omar said.
The PDP, in a slideshow, had shown the map of Jammu and Kashmir with parts of it as China's territory.
The J&K Chief Minister, however, said that he was in favour of making the borders irrelevant that would ensure free trade and travel between the sides of divided state.
PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, meanwhile, said her party has not done anything to challenge the sovereignty of the country over the territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
"We have only shown the distance say from Kashmir-Leh to Yarkand, which is in China. These routes were open before 1947. We have not done anything (to change the map)," she added.
Chief spokesman of the party Nayeem Akhtar said the map in question does not mean anything politically.
"We want erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, as it existed before the partition of sub-continent, should be made a free economic zone," Akhtar said.
He said the traditional routes connecting Jammu and Kashmir Central Asia and China, which became a casualty of "partition tragedy", should be opened as closure of these has led to the feeling of a siege in the state.
(With PTI inputs)