‘Chance meeting’ between Omar, Rijiju leads to political storm

Srinagar, April 7: A “chance meeting” between Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Union minister Kiren Rijiju at Asia’s largest Tulip Garden here on Monday triggered a political storm with opposition parties dubbing it as “Waqf law bonhomie”.
Sources in the ruling National Conference said that Omar Abdullah was accompanying his father and former chief minister Farooq Abdullah after the latter expressed a wish to visit the Tulip Garden which is in full bloom these days.
The sources said the father-son duo bumped into Rijiju, who had also come to visit the garden early in the morning.
The politicians from the opposite sides of political spectrum exchanged pleasantries before heading their separate ways, they said.
Rijiju posted the pictures with the Abdullahs on his X handle, triggering the controversy as opposition parties accused the National Conference of laying out a red carpet for the BJP leader in the aftermath of Waqf Amendment Act.
The NC sources termed the interaction as purely a “chance meeting” and brushed aside outrage over it saying opposition parties were “fishing in the desert”.
The opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) and Peoples’ Conference targeted the National Conference over the meeting, and accused it of surrendering to the BJP without even a pretence over the passage of the Waqf Amendment Bill.
“Waqf Law bonhomie! So soon. Not even a pretence while the ruling party members indulge in a drama in assembly over the issue. Mr Rijiju piloted the bill in Parliament as minority affairs minister,” PDP leader Naeem Akhtar said.
Another PDP leader Waheed Para, said the Muslims of J&K have been “reduced to props” in the government’s “political theatre” — useful on stage, but far too inconvenient to represent when real decisions are to be made. “Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu has rejected the Waqf Bill outrightly because they have the spine to show opposition. But the NC keeps surrendering for political gains at the cost of our people and institutions.”
The Pulwama MLA said the NC has rolled out a red carpet at the Tulip Garden for the Union minister, who introduced and defended the Waqf Amendment Bill in the Parliament. (PTI)