The Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan confirming that the then chief minister of J&K Dr. Farooq Abdullah had opposed release of five top terrorists in exchange of that time’s Home Minister Mufti Sayeed’s daughter Rubaiya Sayeed has given a new twist to the ongoing controversy on the ‘Kashmir Files’ movie and exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the valley because of genocide of Hindus by Pakistan backed terrorists.

Arif Khan had in a TV interview said that he alongwith IK Gujral, external affairs minister in the Janta Party government of VP Singh, flew to Srinagar to meet Farooq Abdullah at his Gupkar Road residence after Rubaiya was kidnapped and terrorists sought release of their men in her exchange.

“To be fair to Farooq Abdullah, he was against the demand to release terrorists”, said Arif Khan and added he was sidelined as Delhi wanted pressure to be exerted for release of terrorists to secure freedom for Mufti Sayeed’s daughter who was abducted on 8 December 1989 allegedly by JKLF terrorist group headed by Yasin Malik.

Appreciating the statement of Arif Mohammad Khan, Omar Abdullah, vice president of National Conference and son of Farooq Abdullah, tweeted; “Arif Mohd Khan Sb sets the record straight about what happened in December 1989 during the BJP supported VP Singh government. Facts are facts even when they don’t support the narrative sought to be created by the BJP & it’s ecosystem. Kudos to the Governor of Kerala”.

National Conference activists and Abdullah supporters were in upbeat mood as they claim that the Kerala Governor’s statement was a “cleanchit” for the role of Farooq Abdullah.

However, the BJP spokesman Brigadier Anil Gupta (Retired) in a statement of Tuesday said “what happened in Kashmir during that period was part of a well scripted ploy written, directed and enacted by those forces whose singular aim was to launch religious jihad in Kashmir”.

The Rubiya Sayeed kidnap case was a part of the same script aimed at strengthening the hands of the jihadis to fulfil the cherished dream of a monolith Kashmir. Did Farooq Abdullah who now claims to have opposed the release of the terrorists not know that Rubiya was kept by the kidnappers in a luxurious house in Srinagar itself, asked the BJP spokesman thereby putting a question mark on the statement of Arif Mohammad Khan who himself was a BJP leader after quitting Congress.

“What has been shown in Kashmir Files is no fiction but just a part of the tragic events”, said Gupta.

Accusing Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and Dr Farooq Abdullah of “enacting their scripted roles for achieving the ultimate aim”, Gupta said what happened thereafter and the mayhem that led to the exodus of Kashmiri Hindus is well known.

Gupta cautioned the Gupkaris that by trying to change the narrative by bringing in extraneous issues, they are further alienating the people of India who are shell-shocked after learning the truth.