Shabir Ahmad
Anantnag: Accusing New Delhi of applying different laws in J&K, opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president and party’s candidate for Anantnag parliamentary constituency, Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday said that pro-India politicians in the state were being treated as ‘holy cows’ who cannot be touched despite ‘heinous crimes’.
“It is unfortunate that New Delhi applies different laws in Jammu and Kashmir and rest of the country. This was evident after Rajiv Gandhi’s killers were given life term while Afzal Guru was sent to gallows with the consent of NC-Congress coalition,” Mehbooba told media persons after filing nomination papers for the Lok Sabha polls here.
Mehbooba said pro-India politicians in the state were being treated as holy cows by New Delhi. “You cannot touch any mainstream politician in Jammu and Kashmir even if he is involved in a sex scandal or commits any other heinous crime like rape, molestation or theft,” she said.
She said that former Minister of State for Health and senior Congress leader, Shabir Ahmad Khan “after indulging in a shameless act invoked nationalism to get away.”
Referring to the ‘mysterious’ death of senior NC worker Haji Yousuf, the PDP president said, “Had a similar incident taken place in any other state, the Chief Minister there would have been forced to resign within 24 hours. But here he (CM) was shielded.”
“The situation is getting from bad to worse here with every passing day,” she added.
Claiming that PDP is the only party which has an agenda, Mehbooba said that her party strives to “make Jammu and Kashmir a bridge between India and Pakistan besides finding an everlasting solution to the Kashmir issue.”
“We had come up with same agenda in 2003 but unfortunately we could not complete it. We’re not like other parties, who seek votes for the ministerial berths in the Centre, sometimes for the son and sometimes for the father. We’ll fight for the rights of Kashmiris if elected to the parliament,” she added.
Meanwhile, according to Returning Officer 3-Anantnag parliamentary constituency, besides Mehbooba, Aam Aadmi Party’s Dr. Tanveer Maqbool Dar also filed nomination for Lok Sabha elections-2014.

Reader correspondent