NSA-level talks off: BJP ally Mufti Mohammad Sayeed upset, rival Farooq Abdullah backs government

SRINAGAR: In J&K, where the BJP's coalition partner, the People's Democratic Party, has expressed "disappointment" over the cancellation of India-Pakistan NSA-level talks, the main opposition, National Conference's patron Farooq Abdullah, has welcomed the Centre's tough stand of not giving in to Pakistan's blackmail.

Omar Abdullah, however, is not on the same page as his father, Farooq, and tweeted about his acute "sense of disappointment" over the cancellation of talks, having earlier written a signed piece saying the Modi government has "lost big time" in its handling of talks with Pakistan.

But, even while "sharing" Mufti's regret, Omar, holding his successor responsible for the talks fiasco, tweeted, "After playing his part in ensuring cancellation it's (Mufti's disappointment) a bit rich." And, even as Omar said the PDP-led state government and the Centre had failed, Farooq said Pakistan was given a fitting reply: that Hurriyat and separatists have no role in the talks process between the two countries.

"PM Modi deserves a pat for showing right place to both the separatists as well as Pakistan by taking a tough stand by not allowing the third party intervention in Indo-Pak talks," Farooq told TOI. He slammed the separatists saying, "Pakistan was in the habit of holding talks with Kashmiri separatists only to see its own flag flying in J&K. And PM Modi seems to have understood the game plan of Pakistan and separatists."

Farooq said Pakistan tries to give the impression that Hurriyat leaders are the real representatives of the people of Kashmir. "But, in fact, it is a bunch of irrelevant people, who do not count anywhere in the state," he said.

Mufti said his government is firmly committed to provide space for a healthy debate across the political spectrum."Our action speaks for itself. We have never sought to curb freedom of expression, nor curtail civil liberties of citizens, so long as the recognized rules are observed and there is no attempt to cause disruption in peace," Mufti said.