Srinagar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi needs to intervene and stop the aggression on Iran for the sake of humanity, Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah said on Friday.
Speaking at the state Assembly, Abdullah urged PM Modi’s government to leverage relations with other countries to stop the war imposed on Iran by the United States and Israel.
It is crucial to do so for the sake of humanity, the chief minister said, condemning what he called an unjust and illegal war. Anyone with a conscience would speak out against it, Abdullah said, as reported by NDTV.
While Shias are a minority in Jammu and Kashmir, there is significant support for Iran in the state. In keeping with this, Abdullah strongly denounced the killing of Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei’s family members and associates during the joint US-Israel attack, calling it a grave injustice.
“The targeting of schools and children is unacceptable,” Abdullah said, questioning the purpose of war and suggesting that even US president Donald Trump may not understand the reasons behind it.
“During morning hours Trump talks about regime change and in the evening talks about oil prices,” Abdullah said.
There was a ruckus in the Assembly before his statement, with National Conference, PDP, and Congress legislators protesting against the US and Israel for targeting Iran and demanding a resolution to be passed.
BJP legislators, however, objected, saying foreign policy was the domain of the central government and the Assembly isn’t the right platform.
Abdullah hit out at the BJP, saying that some may argue the issue doesn’t directly affect the region, but the war’s impact is felt by all.
To justify his position, the CM gave the example of students getting stuck in Iran because of the war and people queuing up for LPG cylinders.
“I condemn the war and express condolences to the victims’ families. I request PM Modi to use his good offices to stop this war for the sake of humanity. If our country can play a role in saving humanity, there’s no better deed,” he said.
