Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had a war of words with Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir after the latter criticised him alongwith PDP chairperson, Mehbooba Mufti for being unable to do anything to stop students like Mannan Wani from becoming terrorists.
Wani, a Hizbul commander was shot down by the Indian Army on Thursday. Wani was a former PhD scholar at Aligarh Muslim University before he like many others from the state joined militancy since the 2016 unrest in the Valley.
Wani received several awards in his academic years before he took up militancy in 2017 and left his home on January 3, 2018 only to return dead.
Gambhir has been known to be vocal about national issues and does not hesitate from expressing his opinion on social media from time to time.
Here is a series of tweets that were posted by Gautam Gambhir and Omar Abdullah:
Mannan Wani’s death: We killed a terrorist and lost a radicalised talent. @OmarAbdullah @MehboobaMufti @INCIndia @BJP4India all should bow their heads in embarrassment that they left a young man drift from books to embrace bullet.
— Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) October 12, 2018
This man wouldn’t be able to find Manan’s home district on a map much less his village & yet he presumes to know what drives young men in Kashmir to pick up the gun. Mr Gambhir clearly knows less about Kashmir than I do about cricket & I know almost nothing. https://t.co/oZ8hc5VcgH
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) October 12, 2018
Come on @OmarAbdullah you shouldn’t talk about maps, you are hell bent in changing the map of my country by talking Kashmir to Pakistan! Stroll out of that ivory tower and explain what u or ur fellow politicians have done to engage the Kashmiri youth @BJP4India @INCIndia
— Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) October 12, 2018
It’s been less than a week since I had two of my colleagues killed by terrorists, my party has lost 1000s of workers, both senior & junior since 1988. I don’t need a lecture in nationalism & sacrifice from someone who wouldn’t know sacrifice if it kicked him. https://t.co/iM14SarX5j
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) October 12, 2018
You aren’t alone @OmarAbdullah, most of ur lot (read politicians) don’t like mirror thrusted on u and that’s why my country is bleeding. Nationalism and sacrifice need men of real character and not someone like u searching for lip-service in 280 character limit of social media!!!
— Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) October 12, 2018
Come back when you’ve educated yourself about Kashmir and we can have an informed discussion till then you can keep playing to the galleries.
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) October 12, 2018
(With Inputs from DNA)