Thaindian News

Srinagar, Nov 10 (IANS) National Conference (NC) patron Farooq Abdullah Thursday asked his younger brother Mustafa Kamal to immediately resign as the party’s additional general secretary and chief spokesman, the party announced Thursday.

“President Jammu & Kashmir NC, Dr. Farooq Abdullah has asked Dr. Mustafa Kamal to resign immediately as the additional general secretary and chief spokesman of the party,” a party statement said.

“Dr. Farooq Abdullah said that he had to take this difficult decision because Dr. Mustafa Kamal has been making certain statements which are not in tandem with the policies of the NC and are against the coalition dharma,” the statement added.

Kamal had stirred up a controversy recently by blaming the army for grenade attacks in the Valley to scuttle Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s decision to partially revoke the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). Kamal had also said the accession of the state to India was temporary.

However, he denied making the statements, saying he had been misquoted.

Omar Abdullah had said the statements from his uncle had come as a major embarrassment to him.

The elder Abdullah had some time ago warned Kamal to desist from making controversial statements.

NC’s coalition partner, the Congress, had demanded the NC should ask Kamal to behave.

“The NC is committed to the NC-Congress coalition government and its smooth functioning and any indiscipline in this regard within the NC will not be tolerated,” the party said Thursday.

Kamal was not available for comment.