Srinagar: PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday said people of Jammu and Kashmir will have to unite to fight back the attack on their dignity and identity.
“There is no way out because of the circumstances Jammu and Kashmir is going through after August 2019, these circumstances demand that we unite. People from all walks of life, be it Gujjar, Pahari, Kashmiri, youth, women,” Mehbooba said at a party function here.
The former chief minister said Jammu and Kashmir was facing many challenges post abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution including attempts at disempowerment of the people.
“We have many challenges. Post abrogation of Article 370, the situation is such that laws are being brought here with the aim of ending the land (holding of locals). What is the purpose of removing stamp duty on land deals? We have to understand these things,” she said.
Mehbooba said many government employees were being harassed and accused of having militancy links.
“This is done without any proof. The affected employees are scared to approach the court as they fear they will be booked and jailed on terror charges if they do so. Vacancies are not being filled as they (administration) are waiting for people from outside to apply for these jobs. We are being disempowered and weakened. They are attacking our dignity,” she said.
Mehbooba claimed that the condition of Muslims in rest of the country was worse than Kashmiris.
“Muslims are being attacked and the attacks are rising day by day. Our mosques are under attack. Now they are talking about converting Taj Mahal also into a temple. What can be a bigger misfortune!” she said.
Mehbooba said there was a systematic way in which places of worshsips of Muslims and historic landmarks created by Mughals were being targeted.
“What’s this they are doing? First they broke down Babri Masjid, now they are talking of Varanasi and Taj Mahal. Let them take all the mosques in one go. How would it matter! Allah is where we Muslims prostrate. He is everywhere.
“They are talking about Qutb Minar, Red Fort. What all will they target? Mughals have left an indelible mark on the landscape of the country,” she said.
She said the situation in Sri Lanka should serve as a wake up call for India as the country was “treading the same path” as the neighbouring country.
Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned as Sri Lanka’s prime minister on Monday amid unprecedented economic turmoil in the country, hours after his supporters attacked anti-government protesters, prompting authorities to impose a nationwide curfew and deploy Army troops in the capital.
The attack triggered widespread violence against pro-Rajapaksa politicians.
In a tweet, the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said, “What happened in Sri Lanka should serve as a wake up call. Since 2014, India is being whipped into a communal frenzy & imagined fears. It is treading the same path of hyper nationalism & religious majoritarianism. All at the cost of disrupting social cohesion & economic security”. PTI

  Kashmir 370

Press Trust of India