Lok Sabha Elections 2024: 'Who do we blame for hatred? We, the politicians,’ says former J&K CM Farooq Abdullah

Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) chief on Tuesday blamed politicians, like him, for what he called the hatred spreading in the country.

“Will all this hatred strengthen India? Are Hindu and Muslim different in any way?... We are responsible for this hatred. Politicians are responsible for giving rise to this hatred," Abdullah, the former Chief Minister of was heard speaking in a video during election campaigning in Budgam area of the Union Territory.

"We had acceded to Gandhi's India and not Modi's. We want to bring Gandhi's India back," Abdullah, who is also a former Union Minister, said referring to October, 1947, when Maharaja Hari Singh signed off the Instrument of Accession, in which joined the Dominion of India.

Three Lok Sabha seats of Kashmir division of Jammu and Kashmir – Srinagar, and Baramulla are yet to vote. Polling for Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat was scheduled to place in the third phase on May 7 but was deferred to . Srinagar seat will go to polls in the fourth phase on May 13. 

Baramulla seat will vote in the fourth phase on May 20, according to the Election Commission of India schedule. The NC had won all three seats of Kashmir division in . 

The Lok Sabha Elections 2024 is the first parliamentary election being held in the Jammu and Kashmir UT since the abrogation of Article 370 by the -led Union government in August 2019. 

Overall, voting for 543 Lok Sabha seats will be held in seven phases. The first two phases of elections were held on April 19 and 26. The remaining phases will be held on May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1. The counting of votes for all seven phases of Lok Sabha Elections will take place on June 4.

The Bharatiya Janata Party-led (NDA), which is seeking a record third