Srinagar, Jan 04: Former Sadr-e-Riyasat and veteran Congress leader Karan Singh while accusing NC founder Sheikh Abdullah of harbouring “terrible anti-Dogra feelings,” has said that Pandit Nehru committed a mistake by taking the Kashmir issue to the United Nations.
Speaking to PTI news agency, Singh said: “I got into politics at the age of 18 because the situation developed in such a way that my father was obliged to leave the state under very painful circumstances. Reason was, of course, Sheikh Abdullah.”
“And why, Sheikh Abdullah, because we had gone to the United Nations and had gone and agreed to a plebiscite. Maybe we need not have gone to the United Nations. In fact, I don’t think we should have gone. One of the few mistakes that Pandit ji made,” he said.
Dr Singh said that he thinks Lord Mountbatten was the one who pushed him into that. “So, Sheikh Abdullah had a terrible anti-Dogra feeling all his life. So finally, he went to Pandit ji (Nehru) and said that he cannot win the election till Maharaja Hari Singh is in the state,” he said.
Dr Singh said that Sheikh Abdullah was condescending, but he was alright, he added. “When the situation politically turned and I had to sign his dissmisal order and all. Obviously, he was very angry. We met after 14 years then and I was wondering, when we met, how will it be, so I must say to his credit as soon as he came in, he said how is tiger (Karan Singh’s nickname)? So, all the tension disappeared,” he said.
Dr Singh praised Farooq Abdullah for “bringing him back into politics,” while saying that Omar Abdullah is a very ‘balanced person’ who has a bright future ahead.
