Jammu, January 20, 2026 : National Conference (NC) President and former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday asserted that his party has stood firmly with India, even facing bullets, and is prepared to do so again if required. He strongly rejected allegations by the BJP that the NC seeks to revive stone-pelting and terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the two-day NC convention of block presidents and secretaries in Jammu, Abdullah dismissed the claims as baseless.
“Tell them those who want to create disturbance are them, not us. We have taken bullets for staying with India and are ready to take them again if needed,” he said.
Abdullah also rejected calls for a fresh bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir, terming such demands “foolish and ignorant.” He ruled out the creation of additional districts in the Union Territory and criticised demands for separate divisions for the Pir Panjal and Chenab valleys, calling them part of the historic Dixon Plan aimed at dividing the region.
Expressing hope for the future, the NC leader said Ladakh, which was made a separate Union Territory in 2019, could eventually be reunited with the former state.
“We never wanted to separate Ladakh. Even the people of Ladakh today say they do not want UT status. Inshallah, one day Ladakh will return,” he said.
Reacting to statements advocating separate statehood for Jammu, supported by some political leaders, Abdullah said his party has never supported such ideas and warned against attempts to fragment the region.
Responding to PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti’s remarks on unemployment and administrative restructuring, Abdullah questioned her tenure as chief minister and that of her father, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, stating that criticism without self-reflection serves little purpose.
On foreign policy issues, Abdullah commented on reports of US President Donald Trump inviting Prime Minister Narendra Modi to be part of a “Board of Peace” for Gaza, noting that the two leaders share a long-standing relationship.
“Inshallah, the friendship will be restored and we will move forward,” he said.
On India-Pakistan relations, Abdullah criticised what he termed as “Pakistan phobia” in media discourse, recalling former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s remark that neighbours cannot be changed. He said recklessness is not limited to any one country
