Srinagar, September 17, 2025 : National Conference (NC) President Farooq Abdullah on Wednesday dismissed allegations of any deliberate attempt to sabotage Jammu and Kashmir’s fruit industry, stating that the closure of the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway (NH-44) was the result of natural calamity, not human actions.
Speaking to reporters in Anantnag district, Abdullah said,
“There is no deliberate attempt. Did people break the mountains? Did it rain because of people? It was God’s wrath because we have kept a distance from God.”
His remarks came in response to accusations by several political leaders who alleged that fruit-laden trucks were deliberately stranded on the highway to harm the region’s economy. The former Chief Minister emphasized that such natural disasters are beyond human control.
Abdullah also lamented a growing disconnect from spiritual values in society, stating,
“Do we share God’s blessing with the poor? These troubles awaken us to remember our Lord, that we have to go to Him.”
Further, drawing a parallel with the situation in Gaza, he remarked,
“Look what is happening there. Israel is trying to wipe them out. Is any Muslim country raising its voice? Thousands are dying because they are far away from God.”
When asked if political leaders were exploiting the fruit industry issue for political mileage, Abdullah remarked bluntly,
“Politics will never stop in Kashmir. Their homes run on it. They get money from Delhi and survive on those blessings. The day the money stops, they too will fall.”
His statements reflect his stance that natural disasters, not political conspiracies, are to blame for the current crisis affecting the region’s fruit industry.
