Srinagar: National Conference (NC) chief Farooq Abdullah on Friday said he has never trusted exit polls and expressed hope they would prove wrong.
“I have never trusted exit polls. Exit polls have proved wrong in the past, and I hope they prove wrong this time,” Abdullah told reporters here when asked about the exit polls giving an edge to the BJP after the assembly polls in the key states.
Assembly elections were held in West Bengal, Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.
To a question about police filing an FIR against unidentified people for glorifying separatism on social media after PDP leader Iltija Mufti posted a video of late separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Abdullah said he does not get involved in such matters.
“I don’t know why it was filed. I don’t get involved in these matters. Iltija Mufti would know why an FIR was filed against her,” he said.
The NC president said the increase in airfare for the annual Hajj pilgrimage is due to rising fuel prices.
“Because fuel prices have increased. You can’t do anything about it. If this war doesn’t stop, then God knows how much more prices will increase for us,” he said.
Asked about the RTI reply stating that the PDP had not appointed a chief agent for last year’s Rajya Sabha elections in J-K, Abdullah said the PDP had not voted for the NC candidates.
“They did not vote for us. Ask them who they voted for,” he said.
When asked, the PDP said the NC chief publicly thanked the party after the RS polls, Abdullah asserted that he did not know who voted for whom.
“Now, it is showing that the situation was not what we had expected. God knows the rest, and those know who voted,” he said.
Abdullah, a three-time chief minister of J-K, also rubbished the PDP’s charge about the status of Urdu, saying Urdu will never be removed in J-K.
“Nothing has been removed. This is wrong. Opinion has been sought from the people, and they will decide. Urdu is our language… Even if you see Delhi’s attitude towards Urdu and what they want, Urdu will not end in Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
He said the PDP has nothing else to show and accused the party of being responsible for the “sufferings” in J&K.
They will say it. What do they have? They are the ones responsible for the sufferings here, aren’t they? Article 370 and 35A were repealed because of them. People should not forget that. Those who are shedding tears today are responsible for it. We are going through this difficulty. May God forgive them for what they have done,” he added.
Abdullah also welcomed the one-week’s interim bail to Lok Sabha MP Sheikh Abdul Rashid. “It is very good that he came to visit his ailing father, to check on his health,” he said.
