National Conference leader and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah called Chattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel’s comments in an interview published on The Hindu website drawing a connection between the political events in Rajasthan with his release from detention as “downright malicious and false”.
Speaking on former Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot’s rebellion, Mr. Baghel told The Hindu , “And as far as Sachin Pilot is concerned, not that I have been tracking the Rajasthan events so closely, but it does make one curious why Omar Abdullah was released? He and Mehbooba Mufti ji were booked under the same sections of the law, while she is still languishing, he is out. Is it because Mr. Abdullah is brother-in-law of Sachin Pilot?”
The National Conference has issued a statement on the subject, and Mr. Abdullah said in a tweet, “I am fed up of the downright malicious and false allegation that what Sachin Pilot is doing is somehow linked to my or my father’s release from detention earlier this year. Enough is enough. Mr @bhupeshbaghel will be hearing from my lawyers.”
Mr. Pilot is married to Mr. Abdullah’s sister Sarah Pilot.
The National Conference said in its statement that Mr. Baghel’s comment, apart from being false and scurrilous, was defamatory to the reputation of Mr. Abdullah. “It is within the province of public knowledge that the release of Mr. Omar Abdullah happened after judicial intervention was sought from the Supreme Court and illegal order of detention of Mr. Abdullah was challenged,” it said.
Mr. Abdullah’s ‘illegal’ detention order was revoked by the government during the course of the proceedings before the Supreme Court, it stated.
The two sparred over Twitter following Mr. Abdullah’s threat to take legal action. “Please do not try to turn this tragic demise of democracy into an opportune moment @OmarAbdullah ji. The 'allegation' was only a question asked, and we will keep asking it, as will the country,” Mr. Baghel said.
In a counter to this, Mr. Abdullah said the Congress did not know friends from foe. “You can send your answer to my lawyers. This is what is wrong with the @INCIndia today, you don’t know your friends from your opponents. This is why you people are in the mess you are in. Your “question” was malicious & will not go uncontested,” he said.
