Slamming Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for his government’s silence on the Waqf Bill, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on Thursday accused him of having abandoned the Muslims during this crisis.

The NC government has failed to stand by the Muslim community on the Waqf issue, she alleged while addressing a PDP workers convention in Srinagar.

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She said that the people of Jammu and Kashmir and her party firmly support Muslims across the country on the issue. Despite the government’s indifferent stance on the Waqf Bill, “the PDP and the people of Jammu and Kashmir extend full solidarity with Muslims across India who are concerned about the future of Waqf properties.”

Mehbooba alleged, “After this Act, many of our graveyards, madrasas and mosques are being demolished and no action is being taken against those involved in demolition. I think the prime minister should intervene in this. Waqf is not a small issue. Muslims keep the country united, and if they are finished, the entire country will be scattered,” she said.

Mehbooba expressed the hope that the Supreme Court will rule in favour of Muslims in the Waqf Act case. Drawing a comparison with the execution of Afzal Guru, the mastermind of the terrorist attack on the Parliament in 2001, she said, “There was no concrete evidence against Afzal, yet the court ordered his hanging citing the ‘collective conscience’ of the nation. We now hope that the same collective conscience will guide the court to protect the rights of Muslims in the Waqf issue.”

Hitting out at the National Conference President Farooq Abdullah in context with the revelations on abrogation of Article 370 made in his book by the former RAW chief AS Dulat, Mehbooba said she is not surprised by these exposes which claim that Farooq Abdullah privately supported the abrogation of Article 370.

Mehbooba reflected on past political developments, highlighting what she described as Abdullah’s silence during the critical period surrounding the abrogation. “There’s nothing new in Dulat’s revelation”, Mehbooba remarked. “In 2014, NC leaders were meeting Amit Shah late at night, offering their support for government formation in J&K”.

“The book only confirms what many of us have known-that National Conference leaders have been in touch with the BJP behind closed doors since 2014,” she alleged.

She further commented on the relationship between Dulat and Farooq Abdullah, suggesting that the former spy chief’s disclosure was intended to benefit, not damage, the NC leader.

“Dulat is very close to Farooq Abdullah. His so-called revelation is not meant to create trouble for him but to send a message to Delhi that Farooq Abdullah is willing to go to any extent to align with them. But Delhi doesn’t trust him. They’ve seen the character of the National Conference. It lacks credibility. When in need, they betray Jammu & Kashmir, and when in need, they betray Delhi,” Mehbooba added.