Jammu, Apr 20 (PTI) Asserting that the communal hatred is weakening the country, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Sunday said the recent violence in West Bengal was the direct fallout of the growing Hindu-Muslim divide in the country.

However, the former chief minister urged people to come together and demonstrate unity as “the threat is not from Pakistan or China but within the country from those who are spreading hatred in the name of religion”.

Abdullah was speaking to reporters after addressing a public meeting organised by his party to welcome retired senior superintendent of police Mohan Lal Kaith in the party fold at the border constituency of Marh near Jammu.

Kaith, who unsuccessfully contested the last year’s Assembly elections from the seat after taking voluntary retirement, said he decided to join the ruling party after consulting his supporters, pledging to strengthen the party at the grass-roots level.

In a veiled attack on the BJP, Abdullah said the violence witnessed in West Bengal recently was the outcome of the “communal divide spread across the country”.

“The anti-Muslim rhetoric and running of bulldozers on the houses, mosques and schools of the community pushed them to the edge. The government cannot prove the legality of their action, which was finally banned by the Supreme Court,” Abdullah said, adding the country does not have separate laws for Hindus and Muslims.

Asked about some BJP leaders raising questions over the Supreme Court after its directions on the Waqf Amendment Act, the NC leader said the four pillars of democracy – legislature, executive, judiciary and the media – keep democracy alive in the country.

“If some wrong law is introduced, it can be challenged in the SC, and accordingly it comes out with its judgment,” he said, advising such leaders to desist from speaking against the SC.

He said the Waqf issue is sub-judice and everyone should wait till the final verdict of the court, which has raised some important questions.

Earlier in his address, the NC leader said the unity in diversity is the strength of the country and urged people to join hands and demonstrate oneness otherwise “we will not be able to safeguard the country”.

“The hatred which was created in the name of religion is weakening the country. We do not have the fear of Pakistan or China but we have a fear of this hatred. We have to overcome this and only then everything will be alright,” he said.

He said the people of Jammu are faced with water scarcity and electricity crisis despite the fact that water is in abundance and the electricity generated from it is being sold to Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh as per the agreement by Lt Governor Manoj Sinha.

“This is our water and we have first right over it,” he said, as he also criticised Sinha for stopping the age-old Darbar move, a practice under which the government used to function six months each from Srinagar and Jammu.

He reiterated that the NC government will restore this practice, which is a bond to bring the Hindus of Jammu and the Muslims of Kashmir together. PTI TAS TAS MNK MNK