New Delhi, In a recent statement, National Conference President Farooq Abdullah responded to Indian Home Minister Amit Shah’s criticism of Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Indian Prime Minister, regarding the Kashmir issue. Abdullah asserted that Nehru had no choice but to take the matter to the United Nations.

According to Kashmir Media Service, Amit Shah, during a session in the Lok Sabha, criticized Nehru for making “two major blunders,” one of which was involving the United Nations in the Kashmir dispute. Shah claimed that Nehru’s decisions, including the announcement of a ceasefire and involving the United Nations, were historic mistakes that caused significant hardship for Jammu and Kashmir. He further contended that if Nehru had taken the right steps, Azad Kashmir would now be an integral part of India.

Countering these claims, Farooq Abdullah, while speaking to reporters in New Delhi, referred to the historical context of Nehru’s decision. He mentioned that both Lord Mountbatten and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, prominent figures in Indian history, had also advised that the Kashmir issue be taken to the United Nations. “There was no other way than this,” Abdullah stated, emphasizing the necessity of the decision at the time.

Abdullah further highlighted the strategic military actions taken to protect the regions of Poonch and Rajouri. He remarked, “At that time, the army was diverted to save Poonch and Rajouri. If it had not been done, Poonch and Rajouri would have also gone to Pakistan.”

The ongoing debate reflects the complex historical and political dimensions of the Kashmir issue, a longstanding and contentious subject in Indian and Pakistani relations. Political experts view Amit Shah’s statement as an acknowledgment of the internationally disputed status of Jammu and Kashmir, a region that has been a focal point of conflict between the two countries since their independence in 1947.