Omar's Trump remarks anger BJP, party says it’s attempt to ‘internationalise Kashmir’

SRINAGAR: J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah’s remarks referring to US President Donald Trump in his speech on Sunday while seeking restoration of statehood to J&K and his response on Monday to a tweet falsely attributed to Trump hasn’t gone down well with BJP, which accused him of attempting to “internationalise the Jammu and Kashmir issue by invoking the name of a foreign leader…”“Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India. The central govt has already made its commitment clear regarding the restoration of statehood,” BJP general secretary and J&K in-charge Tarun Chug said.“Since the abrogation of Article 370, a new stream of democracy, development, tourism, and good governance is flowing. Those seeking to divert public attention should now accept the reality of the transformed Jammu and Kashmir,” he added.On Monday, the CM responded to a social media post falsely attributed to US President Donald Trump that praises Omar and backs his statehood demand. “Let’s bring back statehood and make J&K Great Again,” it said. Omar shared the post with the remark “If only”.On Sunday, addressing a rally in Jammu, the CM sarcastically asked whether he should approach Trump for J&K statehood, saying BJP politicians in J&K maintain that statehood cannot be secured by raising the issue in the J&K Assembly, in Jammu and Kashmir, or even in the national capital, New Delhi.“Now these BJP people should tell me, do I have to go to Donald Trump at the White House in America to get the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood? If I cannot get restoration of statehood in the capital of my own country, then tell us. We will book our tickets, go to America, protest outside Mr Trump’s house and demand statehood from there. If our voice is heard from there, let us know, as we never thought of going anywhere else,” Omar had said.However, he said his party would continue its campaign in “our own country”.Get the latest India news and live updates. Download the TOI App.