New Delhi, July 20: Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah today threatened to expose the "politics of delaying operations in Hilkaka" to clear militants if the Centre did not stop "unnecessary accusations" against his government of having played a spoil sport. Peeved at the statement of Minister of State for Defence Chaman Lal Gupta that the state government had not given the green signal for carrying out the operations, an angry Abdullah countered that the blame lay with Defence Ministry, which did not adopt a realistic approach in going for the kill by not providing for compensation to the local shepherds who would have been affected.
Gupta had earlier accused him of not providing logistic support to the army in carrying out operations. The minister of state for defence had claimed that Abdullah was "repeatedly asked" at meetings with Centre over last two years to take the responsibility of restricting movement of shepherds (bakkarwals) in the operational area.
"First and foremost is that when the movement of shepherds had to be restricted, then compensation had to be paid. I could not deprive thousands of locals of their daily bread," Abdullah said.
The former chief minister threatened that he would "expose the politics behind the delay in operations by army if this dirty politics is not stopped".

Bureau Report