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2 min readSrinagarUpdated: May 25, 2026 05:33 AM IST
Criticising Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s recent personal visit abroad, the BJP has launched a satirical campaign on social media with posters depicting the CM as “missing for the last 10 days”. The posters also said, “If you have any information, please share immediately.”
Abdullah’s National Conference has hit back at the BJP, saying the issue was a “superficial” one and pointing out that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also abroad during this period.
Senior BJP leader Sunil Sharma, who is also the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, quipped that his party should soon file a missing persons report.
“It is unfortunate that the Chief Minister has been missing for the last 10 days. The prince who was made Chief Minister by the poor and oppressed people of Jammu and Kashmir is missing again. He has nothing to do with the people, nothing to do with the issues of the people. People are raising their voices for electricity and for water, but the prince is in London, in England. I don’t know where he is, but he is somewhere outside,” Sharma claimed, adding, “I think the BJP should soon file a missing persons report at the Ram Munshi Bagh (police station), asking for a search for the Chief Minister.”
CM Abdullah returned to the Valley on Saturday. On Sunday, he drove to north Kashmir’s Langate to visit Parliament member Engineer Rashid and condole the death of his father.
The National Conference has called the BJP campaign childish. “I think, he (Sunil Sharma) doesn’t deserve my response on this,” National Conference MP Choudhary Ramzan said while talking to reporters. “This is a superficial issue. When they (BJP) are bereft of any serious issue, they will talk like that — that they will lodge an FIR or file a missing persons report.”
He called Omar’s foreign visit a personal matter. “Everyone has a personal life. Chief Minister sahib has a personal life too. You can’t ignore that,” he said, adding, “Today, our Prime Minister sahib is on (foreign) visits. See how many crores he spent on these visits.”
Bashaarat Masood is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express. He has been covering Jammu and Kashmir, especially the conflict-ridden Kashmir valley, for two decades. Bashaarat joined The Indian Express after completing his Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University in Kashmir. He has been writing on politics, conflict and development. Bashaarat was awarded with the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards in 2012 for his stories on the Pathribal fake encounter. Expertise and Experience Two Decades of Frontline Reporting: Bashaarat has spent 20 years documenting the evolution of Kashmir, from high-intensity conflict and political shifts to socio-economic development. Award-Winning Investigative Journalism: He is a recipient of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award (2012). This honor was bestowed for his reporting on the Pathribal fake encounter, a series of stories that highlighted his ability to handle sensitive human rights and security issues with investigative rigor. Specialized Beats: His authoritative coverage spans: Political Transitions: Tracking the shift from statehood to Union Territory, electoral dynamics, and the pulse of local governance. Security & Conflict: Providing nuanced reporting on counter-insurgency, civil liberties, and the impact of the conflict on the civilian population. Development: Documenting the infrastructure, healthcare, and educational landscape within the Valley. Academic Background: He holds a Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University of Kashmir, providing him with a localized academic and professional foundation that is rare in regional reporting. ... Read More
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