Farooq Abdullah Sparks Controversy Over Remarks on 1990 Kashmiri Pandit Exodus

 New Delhi, May 3 — National Conference president and former Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Dr. Farooq Abdullah has triggered a political storm following remarks he made in a recent interview, addressing the 1990 exodus and killings of Kashmiri Pandits. Denying personal culpability for the tragic events, Abdullah stated, “If the massacre happened during my tenure, then so be it — what can I do?”

The comments, made during an interview with News18 India, have been widely condemned across the political spectrum. Responding to questions about his administration’s role in the events that led to the mass displacement of Kashmiri Hindus, Abdullah said he had resigned in protest over the appointment of Jagmohan as Governor, just one day before the violence erupted on January 19, 1990.

“I resigned after warning the Government of India about the consequences of appointing Jagmohan. You want to pin the genocide on me? Even we lost 1,500 people. If you believe I’m responsible, take me to court,” Abdullah said during the interview.

His remarks have drawn comparisons to Congress leader Sam Pitroda’s infamous “hua to hua” (“it happened, so what”) response regarding the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, a comment that had provoked a nationwide backlash ahead of the 2019 general elections.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was quick to respond. Amit Malviya, head of the party’s IT cell, posted on social media platform X, saying, “Genocide of Hindus in Kashmir — ‘It happened, so what’: Farooq Abdullah. This insensitivity, after showing concern for Pakistanis’ deportation, exposes their priorities.”

BJP spokesperson Prem Shukla further condemned Abdullah’s remarks, calling them “shameless.” “The terrorists who executed the massacre of Hindus will be brought to justice. India has no place for those who sympathize with such actions. They are welcome to go to Pakistan,” he said.

The forced exodus of over 500,000 Kashmiri Pandits remains one of the most painful chapters in the region’s history. The community was driven from their homes in early 1990 amid a rising wave of insurgency and targeted killings. In addition to the displacement, hundreds of temples were desecrated, properties seized or destroyed, and nearly 1,500 Kashmiri Hindus lost their lives in the violence.

Abdullah, during the interview, also criticized the performance of Indian security agencies and the Army, questioning their inability to prevent recent terrorist attacks such as the April 22 ambush in Pahalgam, where 26 tourists were killed, drawing international condemnation.

He also took a stance against the Centre’s ongoing efforts to deport Pakistani nationals residing in India without legal authorization, aligning himself with concerns over human rights implications.

The renewed scrutiny of Abdullah’s leadership during the volatile early 1990s comes at a time of heightened political sensitivity around the issues of justice, communal reconciliation, and national security in Jammu and Kashmir.