Criticising the Narendra Modi government for not talking to Pakistan to resolve disputes, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah today said that unless dialogue begins, “we may meet the same fate as Gaza”.

Speaking to reporters, the Srinagar MP referred to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s statement on India-Pakistan relations that “we can change our friends but not our neighbours”.

“Prime Minister Modi also said that war is not an option now and the matters should be resolved through dialogue. Where is the dialogue? Nawaz Sharif is about to become the Prime Minister (of Pakistan) and they are saying that we are ready to talk (to India), but what is the reason why we are not ready to talk?” Mr Abdullah said.

“If we do not find a solution through dialogue, we will meet the same fate as Gaza and Palestine, which are being bombed by Israel,” he said. The Hamas’ October 7 attacks on Israel and the brutal counterstrike that followed has claimed over 21,000 lives and reduced large parts of Gaza to rubble.

#WATCH | National Conference MP Farooq Abdullah says, “Atal Bihari Vajpayee had said that we can change our friends but not our neighbours. If we remain friendly with our neighbours, both will progress. PM Modi also said that war is not an option now and the matters should be… pic.twitter.com/EcPx9B70jJ

— ANI (@ANI) December 26, 2023

The former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister’s remarks come against the backdrop of a series of unwelcome news from the Union Territory over the past one week. During this period, five soldiers were killed in an ambush in Poonch, a retired cop was shot dead inside a Baramulla mosque and three civilians died after they were detained by troops for questioning.

Earlier, Mr Abdullah trashed the ruling BJP’s claims of normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir since its special status was revoked in 2019.

“Shouting normalcy or propagating tourist arrivals as peace will not finish terrorism. They were claiming that terrorism has finished with the abrogation of Article 370 (in 2019) but four years down the line, terrorism is still there and will not finish till we try to understand its root cause,” Mr Abdullah said on Sunday.

“I regret the killing (of the officer). Those who are claiming normalcy are silent… they tried to heal the wounds in a superficial manner rather than addressing the root cause. The commoners should understand that we are losing our soldiers, officers and commoners,” he said.

The National Conference president said the Centre needs to find “the right perspective” to end bloodshed in Jammu and Kashmir. “We are part of India, we were part of India and we will remain part of India and if we have to end terrorism, we have to look for ways rather than claiming normalcy or talking about tourism which is fragile under the shadow of terrorism,” he said.

The use of military or police is not going to finish terrorism, he said, adding, “We have to go deeper and address the root cause to finish it off.”

“Terrorists attacked and martyred our brave soldiers, and later three locals were tortured to death. This is tragic as we are fighting against terrorism and not against our own people. If we annoy our people, we will never win this war,” he had said.

Earlier this year, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had showed willingness to enter into dialogue with New Delhi. He had said there is “nothing against anyone” and that Islamabad is ready to talk to neighbours because “war is no more an option”.

In response, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi had said India wants neighbourly ties with Pakistan, but there should be an atmosphere free from terror and violence for such ties.

“We have seen reports regarding the comments by the Pakistan PM on this issue. India’s clear and consistent position is well known that we desire normal relations with all our neighbouring countries including Pakistan. For this environment free of terror and hostility is imperative,” he had said.

The consecration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya next month – to be headlined by Prime Minister Narendra Modi – has become, as expected, a political issue ahead of a Lok Sabha election due in less than four months. Invitations to the January 22 event have been sent to religious leaders and actors, but it is those sent to opposition leaders (and their RSVPs) that are making headlines.

This morning CPI (M) leader Brinda Karat underlined her party’s decision to skip a programme that she described as the “politicisation of a religious programme”. “No, we will not go. We respect the religious beliefs… but they are connecting a religious programme with politics. “Using religion as a political weapon or to advance a political agenda is not right,” Ms Karat told news agency ANI.

The BJP – for which construction of the temple has been a major campaign issue, and will be again in the run-up to the 2024 general and state polls – hit back at Ms Karat with Union Minister Meenakshi Lekhi, saying, “… invitations were sent to all (but) only those called by Lord Ram will come”.

The Left leaders aren’t the only opposition politician to have refused the Ram Temple invitation.

Ex-Congress leader Kapil Sibal said he had “Lord Ram in my heart” and, therefore, didn’t feel the need to attend the ceremony, which will likely be a show of strength by the BJP before the elections.

READ | “Ram In My Heart, Don’t Need To Show Off”: Kapil Sibal On Invite

“What I say to you is from my heart… because I do not care about these things. If Ram is in my heart, and Ram has guided me on my journey, it means I have done something right,” Mr Sibal told ANI.

Mr Sibal attacked the BJP for being a “show-off” and said, “They talk about Lord Ram but their character is nowhere close. Truthfulness, tolerance, sacrifice, and respect for others are some of the traits of Ram but they do exactly the opposite… you need to have Ram’s principles in your heart.”

READ | Carved Pillars, Temple Design: First Pics Of New Ayodhya Airport

Another Left party, the CPI, is also likely to skip the Ram Temple event, sources have said.

The refusals also triggered a biting response from Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who taunted the BJP’s rivals, especially those “who used to mock us…” and said, “Now, if you have courage, come to Ayodhya and we will show you the temple.”

READ | Ram Temple Inauguration For Those Who Mocked BJP: Fadnavis

The Left, Mr Sibal, and other opposition parties and leaders, have spoken out, but all eyes are on the Congress and its senior leaders, including party boss Mallikarjun Kharge and matriarch Sonia Gandhi.

Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, its leader in the outgoing Lok Sabha, and its former Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, have also been invited, but it is not clear if Rahul Gandhi received one.

The BJP’s national rival must walk a tight rope between accepting the invite and, by doing so, potentially alienating minority votes, particularly from the Muslim community, which are key in a state that has 80 Lok Sabha MPs, and in which the Muslims are about 20 per cent of the population.

READ | “Either She Will Go Or…”: Congress Leader On Sonia Gandhi’s Ayodhya Invite

The Congress has been guarded so far; General Secretary KC Venugopal confirmed the invite and told reporters, “You will (be told) about the party’s stand… you will know on January 22.”

“They (the BJP) invited us. We are very thankful for inviting us… let us (see).”

Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh, who took a dig at the BJP for not inviting him, asked “what objection can there be” and said, “Either she (Mrs Gandhi) will go or a delegation will go…”

However, uncertainty, and political gamesmanship, over the Ayodhya Ram Temple invitations hasn’t been limited to opposition leaders, with the BJP first seemingly snubbing two veterans – LK Advani and Murali Manohar Joshi, both of whom led the Ram Janmabhoomi movement from the front.

The apparent overlook sparked a row, with many accusing the BJP of insulting the old-timers.

Shortly after, though, the right-wing group Vishwa Hindu Parishad said invitations had, in fact, been sent to Mr Advani, a former Deputy Prime Minister, and Mr Joshi, a former Union Minister. But that they will attend is still not clear; the VHP said “both seniors said they would try their best…”

The VHP is a part of the Sangh Parivar, the BJP’s ideological parent.

Samajwadi Party leader Swami Prasad Maurya has triggered a huge row with his controversial remarks over Hinduism.

“Hindu dharma ek dhokha hai (Hindu religion is a kind of deception),” Swami Prasad Maurya said adding that even RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have also said that Hinduism is not a religion, but just “a way of life”.

“Even Mohan Bhagwat had said, not once but twice, that Hindu is not a religion but a way of life. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also said that Hindu is not a religion. Sentiments don’t get hurt when these people make such statements but if Swami Prasad Maurya says it, the remarks cause unrest,” he said.

Mr Maurya also cited a Supreme Court’s ruling to justify his remarks. “In 1955, the Supreme Court said in its order that Hindu is not a religion but a way of life,” Mr Maurya said.

#WATCH | Delhi: Samajwadi Party leader Swami Prasad Maurya says, “Hindu ek dhokha hai…RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat has said twice that there is no religion called Hindu but instead, it is a way of living. Prime Minister Modi has also said that there is no Hindu religion…Sentiments… pic.twitter.com/1qnULH1rqt

— ANI (@ANI) December 26, 2023

This is not the first time when Swami Prasad Maurya, who had quit the BJP to join the Samajwadi Party ahead of the 2022 Uttar Pradesh assembly polls, has made anti-Hindu” remarks.

In August, he shared a video on X – earlier known as Twitter – saying that “Hinduism is just a hoax”. “The roots of Brahminism are very deep and the reason for all the disparity is also Brahminism. There is no religion called Hindu, Hinduism is just a hoax,” he was heard saying in the video. 

The Samajwadi Party leader had in January this year said that certain verses of the Ramcharitmanas promoted social discrimination. “If there is any insult to a section of society due to certain lines in the Ramcharitmanas on the basis of ‘jaati’, ‘varn’ and ‘varg’, then it is certainly not ‘dharma’, it is ‘adharma’,” he had said.

Swami Prasad Maurya had also made controversial remarks against Goddess Lakshmi. “Every child born anywhere in the world has two hands, two legs, two ears, and two eyes and if a child with eight hands, and ten hands has not been born till now, how can Goddess Lakshmi be born with four hands,” he had said.

His party has, however, once again distanced itself from his remarks. “By making such statements, these people are doing wrong for themselves,” said Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav had earlier said that his party never engages in politics of religion. “The stand of the Samajwadi Party on religion is clear. There should be no discussion about it,” he had said.