New Delhi :After the Bharatiya Janata Party accused Farooq Abdullah of making "seditious and anti-national" statements on the issue of restoring Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt on Monday called the National Conference supremo a ‘traitor’.
As per BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah told a TV channel in an interview that Article 370 of the Constitution, which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir, will be restored "with China's support".
Notably, Article 370 was abrogated by Parliament last year.
Taking to Twitter, Yogeshwar Dutt said: “Farooq Abdullah’s anti-national character has been exposed after he praised China. Just think what such traitors would have done when they were ministers and chief ministers.”
In another tweet, the Olympic bronze medallist referred to an old statement by Farooq Abdullah when the NC chief had come under fire for his 'PoK belongs to Pakistan' comment. Yogeshwar Dutt had unsuccessfully contested the Haryana Assembly Elections from Baroda constituency on the BJP ticket.
The Nation Conference has, however, denied Patra's claim, adding Abdullah never justified China's expansionist mindset or its aggression during his interview on Sunday.
"Our President articulated the people's anger over the abrogation of Article 370 and 35-A by Parliament on August 5 last year as he has consistently done in recent months. He emphasised that no one in Jammu and Kashmir was willing to accept these changes," said an NC spokesman.
He further accused Patra of 'completely twisting' Abdullah's comments on China in response to a question.
"Dr Abdullah never said that together with China we will bring back Article 370 as Mr Patra claimed at a media briefing in which he also misquoted some previous statements of Dr Abdullah," said the NC spokesman.