Accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party of "creating fear", former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Farooq Abdullah said on Saturday that the BJP must let the Opposition "survive to strengthen" the democracy in the country. His remarks came in the wake of recent raids by the Enforcement Directorate on opposition leaders in connection with money laundering charges ahead of the string of state assembly elections in the five states.

"They (BJP) are trying to create fear...One day, they'll also be treated the same. If they really want a democracy, they must let the opposition survive. Killing the opposition will not strengthen the country...", Farooq, the former Union Minister, told ANI on Saturday in Srinagar. His remarks come days after Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was summoned by the ED to appear before it for questioning in the Delhi Excise policy case. in which former Delhi Education Minister Manish Sisodia and AAP MP Sanjay Singh are in judicial custody.