Farooq slams BJP for skipping function honouring 1931 martyrs

National Conference president Farooq Abdullah today said the absence of BJP leaders at a function to pay homage to the martyrs of the 1931 massacre for the third consecutive year, was due to their "vote bank" politics.
"The bloodshed had happened during the Dogra rule (on this day in 1931). How could they (BJP leaders) come here? Their vote bank is there (in Jammu) and therefore it is quite obvious they will not accompany them (PDP leadership)," Abdullah said after paying floral tributes to the martyrs at the graveyard at the famous Naqashband Sahib shrine in downtown Srinagar.
BJP, which is an alliance partner of the ruling PDP, stayed away from the function for the third consecutive year since the coalition came into power.

Abdullah, who was accompanied by senior party leaders, alleged that the two parties (PDP and BJP) had forged an alliance just for the sake of "power and loot".