• By Nidhi Giri
  • Sat, 12 Oct 2024 08:26 PM (IST)
  • Source:JND

National Conference (NC) chief Farooq Abdullah on Saturday urged Kashmiri Pandits,  who were forced to leave their homes during the exodus of the early 1990s to “come back home”.  He added that the NC government is not their enemy and extended his party’s support to make all the arrangements and initiatives for their return. The remarks come as NC is set to form a government in Jammu and Kashmir.

"I hope that our brothers and sisters who have left from here come back home. Now the time has come, they should return to their homes. We do not think only about Kashmiri Pandits, but we also think about the people of Jammu," Abdullah said on being asked by the media persons about the Kashmiri Pandits.

He added that his party does not discriminate between Hindus and Muslims and that everyone should treat them equally. "There's a place for everyone in Kashmir," he noted.

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The National Conference chief also said that Kashmiri Pandits should return to Kashmir and take care of their homes and they will be welcomed with open arms.

"I think their return is long due. They should have come back long back and live at their homes. We should treat them well, they should also feel that the National Conference government is not their enemy. We are Indians and we want to take everyone along," Abdullah stated.

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National Conference Set To Form Govt In Kashmir

National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah met Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Friday evening to stake claim and fix a date for the oath ceremony for forming the government in the UT. Jammu and Kashmir will get an elected government after a gap of 10 years.

NC dominated the Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, becoming the party gaining the maximum number of seats. With 42 seats, the party holds a clear majority in the 95-member Assembly. Its alliance partners, the Congress and CPM, secured six and one seat respectively, while four independent members have also pledged their support to the NC.