Seat sharing talks within I.N.D.I.A. going on: Farooq

Jammu, Jan 19: National Conference president and the former Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah Friday reiterated that his party had no issue with I.N.D.I Alliance vis-à-vis seat-sharing arrangements and the talks to decide it (arrangement) were going on.

Reacting to the prevalent political scenario, he also took exception to his bete-noire(s) (BJP and RSS) projecting them as the only “custodian” of Lord Ram, who, he said, “belonged to all.”

Responding to media queries here about seat-sharing talks, the former Chief Minister said, “Talks are going on. It takes some time as the interests of all parties have to be given a due consideration. All issues will be resolved soon.”

Even with regard to seat-sharing with Congress, Farooq reiterated that NC was capable enough to sort out issues with it (Congress). “It (sorting out issues with Congress) has never been a problem for us, never in the past and not even now,” he said.

In response to questions about the Ram temple consecration event, Farooq asked, “Does (Lord) Ram only reside there (Ayodhya temple)? Does he have no other place? What’s about Ram temples here? (Lord) Ram is omnipresent. He is there even where there is no temple. (Lord) Ram belongs to the whole world, not to just one (Hindu) community. Those who are restricting Him or His existence to Hindu community, are ill-formed about their own religious scriptures. Does (Lord) Ram belong to BJP or RSS only?”

“Who are they to invite (for the Ram temple consecration ceremony at Ayodhya)? Why are they distributing invites? Does anyone need an invite to visit and pay obeisance at the Ram temple? I’m going to perform Umrah. Should I get an invitation for that? This is wrong to send invites for this event. None can be the sole custodian of (Lord) Ram. He belongs to all so why they (BJP, RSS) should project themselves as the sole custodian. Invites (letters) are being distributed in the houses (in Jammu). Which organization is doing it?” he responded with a flurry of questions, when asked about the invitations being sent for the Ayodhya event.

With regard to a question about acceptance of invites by some parties, which are part of I.N.D.I. Alliance, he said, “Leave it to individuals and parties to decide on their own to accept invites or not. None can force anyone.” He attributed the ongoing Iran-Pakistan row to “Baluchistan people being given shelter inside Iran- inviting Pakistan’s ire.” “Nevertheless, other countries are trying to resolve the issue,” he said.