National Conference (NC) leader Omar Abdullah Monday said he was "disappointed" with Prime Minister Narendra Modi for "politicising" the opening ceremony of the National War Memorial.
"Credit to the PM Modi for building a national war memorial after 70 years. Disappointed with politician Modi for politicising the occasion by making a blatantly political speech at the inauguration," Abdullah tweeted.
"Today's speech should have been made in a BJP election rally not at an event with serving armed service officers, veterans & families in the audience," the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister added.
Modi inaugurated the memorial adjoining the iconic India Gate complex in the heart of the capital, nearly 60 years after it was mooted to honour the fallen soldiers after Independence.
The PM dedicated the memorial, built at a cost of Rs 176 crore, by lighting the flame positioned at the bottom of the stone-made obelisk.
Speaking at the event, he attacked the previous Congress-led UPA regime of orchestrating defence scams prioritising family over country.