Srinagar, March 4 (IANS): The PDP Tuesday organised a protest march here against union minister Farooq Abdullah's remark allegedly calling Kashmris "maha chors" (big thieves). Abdullah has denied making the comment.

Dozens of Peoples Democratic Party activists led by Khurshid Alam marched in the Regal Chowk area of Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir.

The protesters burnt an effigy of the ruling National Conference, whose patron Farooq Abdullah is.

Alam told reporters that the National Conference wa the fountainhead of corruption in the state and it was shameless that Abdullah had described Kashmiris as "maha chors".

Abdullah reportedly said at a function in New Delhi that "Kashmiris are not only chors, they are maha chors".

Abdullah now claims he was misquoted.

"I had said it is unfortunate that we buy power for nearly two to three thousand crores but we are not able to get the money back because there is a lot of pilferage of power (in the state).

"Many of our people are 'stealing' power. It happens all over the country but the biggest transmission and distribution losses are in Jammu and Kashmir. A newspaper tried to create misunderstanding in the minds of the people by publishing (what I am supposed to have said).

"I am sad that I was misquoted by the media. I had spoken about power theft in the state," Abdullah told reporters.