SRINAGAR: The Bharatiya Janata Party slammed the ruling National Conference over its controversial circular directing the party workers in J&K’s mountainous Kishtwar district to “harass government officials only with the approval from party leader”.

The NC District President Kishtwar in a circular stated that no official of the party’s Kishtwar unit is authorised to harass any government employee without the consent of District President NC Kishtwar.

The NC District President in the circular said that he hoped that all office bearers of the party in the district would adhere to it.

J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who is also vice president of ruling National Conference, posted the letter on X, formerly twitter.

“Who says we are an indisciplined party? We ensure our party rank and file don’t “harass government employees” without permission from our senior office bearers (six),” Omar said in the post.

The BJP, however, took strong exception to the NC circular.

“It is open directions for harassment of government officials by National Conference's Kishtwar wing. Passing directions to harass government officials after a prior approval of district president Kishtwar is nothing but arrogance, frustration and tanatamounts to misuse of power,” BJP spokesman Altaf Thakur said.

He added, “Strange and not acceptable at all!”