Srinagar, April 7 -- According to reports, Omar Abdullah was accompanying his father and former chief minister Farooq Abdullah, who had expressed a wish to visit the Tulip Garden, currently in full bloom. The sources said the father-son duo bumped into Rijiju, who had also come to visit the garden early in the morning.

The politicians from opposite ends of the political spectrum exchanged pleasantries before heading their separate ways, they said. However, Rijiju posted the pictures with the Abdullahs on his X handle, triggering controversy as opposition parties accused the National Conference of laying out a red carpet for the BJP leader in the aftermath of the Waqf Amendment Act.

NC sources termed the interaction a purely "chance meet...