Srinagar, Aug 21: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday criticised Leader of the Opposition in the J&K Assembly, Sunil Sharma, over his recent remarks concerning the spread of Islam in Kashmir, urging him to focus on political and governance issues rather than sensitive matters of faith.

Responding to questions from reporters in Srinagar, Abdullah said political leaders, particularly those holding constitutional positions, should exercise restraint while commenting on religious matters.
“You are the Leader of the Opposition, not the leader of a religion,” Abdullah said, urging Sharma to confine his public discourse to issues concerning governance, development and the functioning of the government.
Taking a sarcastic dig at Sharma, the Chief Minister said the Opposition leader's focus on religion rather than the government's performance could be interpreted as an indication that there was little else to criticise.
“I would say our government's performance must be truly excellent if the Leader of the Opposition found nothing to criticize about it and is talking about religion,” Abdullah remarked.
Abdullah, however, adopted a more serious tone while cautioning political leaders against making statements that could hurt religious sentiments or create social divisions.
He referred to sensitive episodes of religious conflict and said such issues should not be used casually in political discourse. “One should not play with people's sentiments,” he said.
The Chief Minister maintained that matters relating to faith and religious interpretation should be approached with greater sensitivity and left primarily to religious scholars and those with appropriate expertise.
His remarks come amid a wider political debate in Jammu and Kashmir over historical narratives, religion and the role of political leaders in addressing sensitive social issues.
Abdullah's comments underscored the need for political discourse to remain focused on governance, development and public concerns, while exercising caution on matters capable of affecting communal harmony and social cohesion.