'When They Fail...': Omar Abdullah Defends Congress Over Ladakh Violence, Blames BJP Sonam Wangchuk Joins In Support

(MENAFN- Live Mint) Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has defended the Congress party after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accused the grand-old party of“rioting” in Ladakh, saying the saffron party has the habit of blaming others for its own failures. Activist Sonam Wangchuk, too, has come in support of Congress, saying the party does not hold much influence in the region to mobilise them for a protest of this extent.

Four persons were killed and more than 80 others were injured in widespread clashes on Wednesday, September 24, as hundreds of protesters supporting the Ladakh statehood movement and extension of the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution turned violent. The protesters also allegedly set a BJP office and several vehicles in Leh on fire .

Omar Abdullah said the lieutenant governor-led Ladakh administration should see why it failed to contain the protests and maintain peace in the region. The J&K chief minister also claimed that it is the BJP's habit to blame others.

He said,“The government [in Ladakh] is theirs [BJP's]. When they fail, they blame someone else. Had the Congress been so powerful that it could cause riots in Ladakh, why didn't the party form the council (in October 2020)? Who won the last council elections in Ladakh? The BJP, while the Congress lost badly. When things go wrong, the BJP people always come up with excuses.”

“When such things happen, it is the administration which is the first to fail. The administration should see why it failed. Blaming someone else will not not help,” Abdullah said.

Appealing to the people of Ladakh to maintain peace, Omar Abdullah said,“I would appeal to people to not take the law in their hands, and follow the path of peace. The government of India should pay attention to their legitimate demands.”

Sonam Wangchuk, who has been blamed by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for making provocative speeches to incite teh protesters, also came in the defence of the Congress, saying it doesn't have that influence.

“Congress doesn't have such influence here that it can manage to get 5000 youth on the roads,” Wangchuk said, adding,“A Congress councillor yesterday reached a hospital in anger because two people from his village were hospitalised, but Congress does not have such influence.”

Meanwhile, Sonam Wangchuk's foreign funding licence has been cancelled amid a CBI probe into his organisation over alleged financial irregularities.

What did BJP claim?

BJP spokesperson Amit Malviya took to X and posted a picture of a masked man with allegedly a weapon in his hand. Amit Malviya claimed the man was Congress councillor for Upper Leh Ward Phuntsog Stanzin Tsepag .

Malviya posted on X,“This man rioting in Ladakh is Phuntsog Stanzin Tsepag, Congress Councillor for Upper Leh Ward. He can be clearly seen instigating the mob and participating in violence that targeted the BJP office and the Hill Council. Is this the kind of unrest Rahul Gandhi has been fantasising about?”

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey also alleged in a post on X, blaming the Congress councillor for the arson at BJP office.

“A fire was set at @BJP4India office in Ladakh, @RahulGandhi ji, its leader is your GEN Z, Phuntsog Stanzin Tsepag, who is an elected ward member from the @INCIndia party. Will be the consequence of playing with fire? Stop challenging BJP workers.”

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