KATRA: National Conference (NC) president Dr Farooq Abdullah on Friday downplayed the remarks of People’s Conference chief Sajad Gani Lone on registering an FIR against him for his role in the alleged rigging of the 1987 Jammu and Kashmir Assembly polls and said “he should do whatever he feels”. Lone on Wednesday said a case against NC president Farooq Abdullah and others for their role in the alleged rigging of the polls will be the biggest confidence-building measure towards Kashmiris. “As far as 1987 is concerned, I strongly believe that even today, the biggest CBM (confidence-building measure) towards Kashmiris will be an FIR in which Farooq saheb, Congress leaders and bureaucrats are named for rigging the election,” Lone told reporters in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district on Wednesday. “I understand what you are saying. I have heard this. As per his will, Lone saheb should do whatever he can,” Abdullah said replying to a question on Lone’s remarks. Responding to another question on PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti‘s remarks on contesting elections in Kashmir, he said, “Can I stop anyone from contesting elections? It is a free country. Any one can contest.” Dr Abdullah was on a campaign trail in support of Congress candidate Raman Bhalla as part of the INDIA bloc.
