National Conference (NC) chief Farooq Abdullah on Monday backed Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s comments on the partition of India and stressed that it could have been avoided.

He also said that Muslims of India have been suffering because of the partition and that bitterness between India and Pakistan adds to religious tension.

While speaking to media outside Parliament, the former J&K Chief Minister said, “I agree with Rajnath Singh that the division of India was a historical mistake. Indian Muslims are suffering due to this.”

“India-Pak fightings add to the religious tension. It could have been avoided had it been only one nation,” he added.

Yesterday, Rajnath Singh said that the 1971 war was a reminder that India’s partition on religious lines was an “aitihasik galti” (historic mistake), and that Pakistan has ever since continued to engage in a proxy war against India.

Speaking at the inauguration of Swarnim Vijay Parv at India Gate in the national capital, marking 50 years of India’s victory in the 1971 war as well as the Indo-Bangladesh friendship, Rajnath Singh said that the war also demonstrated the importance of “jointness” among India’s armed forces, towards which the government was working now.

The 1971 war, Singh said, “tells us that the partition of India on the basis of religion was a historic mistake. Pakistan was born in the name of one religion but it could not remain one. After the defeat of 1971, our neighbouring country is constantly waging a proxy war in India.”