Srinagar, September 9, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Ruling National Conference (NC) MLA and party spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq has faced strong criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) over remarks about the economic condition of people in Kashmir before Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah came to power.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday on the 44th death anniversary of NC founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, Sadiq referred to the poverty that he said prevailed in Kashmir before the implementation of land reforms.
His remarks, however, drew sharp reactions from the opposition. BJP spokesperson Altaf Thakur described the statement as insulting and disrespectful to Kashmir’s people, culture and heritage.
“He has spoken against our culture, dignity and history. This is not tolerable at all,” Thakur said, arguing that the comments could not be dismissed as a political statement.
He also accused Sadiq of showing a lack of understanding of Kashmir’s history and its centuries-old tradition associated with Sufis, saints and scholars. The BJP demanded that the NC leader withdraw his remarks and issue a public apology.
The PDP also criticised Sadiq, asking on X whether the NC spokesperson would offer an unconditional apology for what it termed derogatory remarks against Kashmiris.
Sadiq’s comments were made in the context of the widespread poverty faced by peasants under the erstwhile absentee landlord system. Supporters of Sheikh Abdullah’s legacy point to the land-to-the-tiller reforms introduced after he came to power in 1947 as a major step towards abolishing absentee landlordism and transferring land rights to cultivators.
The controversy has since triggered a political debate over how Kashmir’s pre- and post-Independence economic history should be described.
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