J&K parties spar over affiliation of killed political activist

 Srinagar, April 25: Political parties in Jammu and Kashmir sparred over the affiliation of senior political activist Gulam Nabi Patel, who was killed by militants in Pulwama district on Wednesday. Critically injured in a militant attack at Rajpora Chowk of Pulwama, along with two of his security guards, Patel later succumbed in the hospital. Ironically, as Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) condoled Patel’s death as that of “a senior Congress leader”, the state Congress issued a statement condoling the death of the “PDP leader”. At this, former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, of the National Conference, intervened. “How tragic that Patel Sahib, a political worker assassinated by militants in Kashmir is being disowned by both the PDP & Congress.  “If neither party is willing to own him as one of their own let’s just call him a NC worker so his death is not in vain,” he tweeted. (IANS)