Balakot strike was done for BJP’s win in Lok Sabha Elections : Farooq Abdullah

National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah Monday made serious allegations against the BJP-led Centre, saying it ordered the air strike in Pakistan’s Balakot with the “sole purpose” of winning Lok Sabha elections.

The Srinagar MP alleged the BJP has “failed” on all fronts and it was apprehended that there would be a fight or skirmish with Pakistan before the polls so that Prime Minister Narendra Modi becomes some kind of an “avatar” without whom India cannot survive.

“This surgical strike (air strike) was done only for the purpose of election…totally for the election. We lost an aircraft worth crores of rupees. Be thankful that the IAF pilot (Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman) survived and returned from Pakistan with respect,” Abdullah told reporters here.

In a predawn exercise on February 26, the Indian Air Force pounded Jaish-e-Mohammed’s biggest training camp in Balakot. The air strike came in response to a terrorist attack in Pulwama on February 14, in which 40 CRPF jawans were killed.

Abdullah said Monday, “In the Parliament, we knew they have failed on all other things and that there would be a fight or a skirmish with Pakistan in Kashmir so that he (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) becomes some kind of an ‘avatar’ without whom India cannot survive. But I want to tell him that whether he or I live or not, India will live and move forward,” .

The NC president said an atmosphere of fear was being created to help the BJP in the polls.

“They want to create an atmosphere of fear. There would be no war. The whole world is watching. This government is only using the senior officer for winning the election, the officer whom they got by superseding many others and who is now dancing to their tunes. Otherwise, there is no danger,” he said, without naming the “officer”.

“This atmosphere of fear that they have created in the country that without him anything will happen, I want to tell him that you were neither a God and never will be,” he said.

Abdullah said there is no other way than to talk to Pakistan over the Kashmir issue.