The death of a ‘political activist’ Ghulam Nabi Patel, who was killed in a suspected militant attack in Rajpora area of Pulwama on Monday, has become controversial.
The PDP is condemning his death by calling him a ‘local Congress activist’ while the Congress is calling him a ‘senior PDP activist’ in their condemnation note.
“Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti has condemned the killing of a local Congress activist of Pulwama, Ghulam Nabi Patel who was killed this afternoon at Rajpora chowk by un known assailants. The Chief Minister has expressed sympathies with the bereaved family and prayed for peace to the departed soul,” read a press note of the Information Department.
“Strongly condemning the gruesome killing of the senior PDP activist Gulam Nabi Patel, a J&K Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) spokesperson expressed profound grief and sorrow over the killing and described it as highly shameful and dastardly act, ” read the statement of the Pradesh Congress Committee.
Meanwhile, National Conference Working President Omar Abdullah, in a tweet has said that if both the parties are not willing to own, NC is ready to do that so that his death won’t go in vain.
How tragic that Patel Sahib, a political worker assassinated by militants in Kashmir is being disowned by both the PDP & Congress. If neither party is willing to own him as one of their own let’s just call him a NC worker so his death is not in vain.
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) April 25, 2018
In another tweet, Omar said:
Ghulam Nabi Patel is being denied the dignity of having been assassinated for belonging to a political party just so the PDP & Congress can lie to their workers to claim they aren’t at risk from militant bullets.
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) April 25, 2018
However, senior Journalist Shujaat Bukhari, in a post on twitter said that reporters have known him for long as a ‘Congress leader’.
For long time we as reporters knew Ghulam Nabi Patel as a Congress leader. Didn’t know he had joined PDP. But it is sad that parties are disowning him. You need foot soldiers to carry your flag and when he is dead you disown him.
— Shujaat Bukhari (@bukharishujaat) April 25, 2018
