Srinagar: Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Friday was all up in arms against her former alliance partner, BJP, accusing it of wanting the “territory” of J&K.
In her first press conference after being released from detention, Mehbooba said that for the BJP the people in JK are expendable. The BJP, she said, wants “our resources”, nothing else.
“The people of J&K are expendable to them (Centre). What they want is territory. First they took our water, now they are after our sand. They don’t care for the people,” Mehbooba said.
Mufti, who was released after 14 months of detention on October 13, was speaking to reporters at her Fairview residence in Srinagar. On her side were Ghulam Nabi Lone, Mehboob Beg, and Abdul Rahman Veeri, while she had the erstwhile flag of JK on her table.
“This flag (erstwhile JK state’s) was the one that had tied us with the country that was liberal, secular and democratic. Not the one run by the BJP manifesto,” she said. “And until this flag is hoisted alongside with the tricolour, we won’t hoist it. A robber may be mighty but he has to return the stolen goods. They demolished the Constitution… Parliament had no power to take away special status,” she told reporters.
Mehbooba said those who feel Kashmir would be abandoned are mistaken and now was the time for leaders to sacrifice for the cause.
“Even if leaders need to shed their blood for the cause… Mehbooba Mufti will be the first to offer it,” the PDP chief said, adding, “One day they will fall on our feet and ask for resolution. It’s a political fight and (we) will achieve (our) goal.”
She said her party stands for everything that was taken away, and nothing has changed in its political stand. Besides fighting for all the stolen things, she will fight for the permanent resolution of the Kashmir issue, she asserted.
Mehbooba also said that forging an alliance with BJP was meant to prevent any “misadventures by the BJP.” “During the government we did not allow any such thing to happen,” she added.
Mufti also expressed her anger against New Delhi for making laws which are not liked by people, and removing those which gave people here protection.
“Everyone seems to be unhappy with the government. Not only the Kashmiris, the farmers and Dalits too are very agitated at present. Their rights have been snatched,” she said.
She also said that BJP has failed to deliver governance and only makes use of Kashmir to deflect attention from issues of farmers’ distress, unemployment and failing economy.
“The government was silencing Kashmir’s leaders from speaking on the special status, while Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was allowed to flaunt about Article 370 for votes,” she said.

  Kashmir, Kashmir 370

Junaid Nabi Bazaz