Srinagar: India can become a Vishwaguru’ (global leader) of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dreams as it has power, democracy and secularism but the road to achieving that goes through Jammu and Kashmir, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti said on Thursday.
“I want to tell Modi ji that you keep on saying that you will make this country a Vishwaguru’. Let you make it a Vishwaguru’, first handle your home. India will certainly become a Vishwaguru’ because it has that power, it has democracy, it has secularism — which though in today’s times you are smashing,” Mehbooba said.
She was addressing a function to celebrate her party’s 23rd foundation day at Sher-e-Kashmir Park here.
“If you want to make the country Vishwaguru’, the road to it goes through J-K. Till you do not resolve Kashmir issue, your feet will remain fettered by it. The road to becoming Vishwaguru’ does not go through G-7 or G-20 or Quad, but through J&K,” she said.
Mehbooba vouched for improving relations with neighbouring countries, especially Pakistan.
“…Your neighbours, if I take Pakistan’s name, they will get angry, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Nepal and other countries in the SAARC. What have done with them? When you couldn’t become a guru’ of your neighbours, then how will you become a Vishwaguru’?
“What is the biggest hurdle in taking SAARC forward? It is the relations between India and Pakistan. Now that I have taken Pakistan’s name, there will be debates on news channels tonight that I am interfering in foreign relations. But, why shouldn’t I,” she said.
“There is a 10 lakh army only in J-K. The life of the people has become miserable only in J-K. So, until you do not mend your relations with Pakistan, and talk to them, how will J-K stop from being a battle-ground (between India and Pakistan)?” she said.
Often facing flak over her remarks about dialogue with Pakistan, the PDP chief said she will continue to talk about the neighbouring country till the 10 lakh army personnel continue to remain in J-K, till J-K continues to be a battleground between India and Pakistan.
“You talk about being a Vishwaguru’. Sri Lanka is battling a huge storm. If you really want to perform the role of a Vishwaguru’, you should have called a meeting of the SAARC, so that it would seem to them that India is their leader.
“There is a crisis in Pakistan. I understand that you think of it as your enemy, but if you behave well with an enemy, he becomes your friend. If you cannot become the guru of SAARC, then how will you become a Vishwaguru’?” she added.
The biggest challenge, Mehbooba said, that Modi faces and which has been there right from the country’s first PM Jawahar Lal Nehru till now is the resolution of the issue of J-K.
“How many mosques will you destroy to make temples. Houses of how many Muslims you will destroy. Names of how many roads or cities will you change, you will not be remembered for long for that, because these things are not to be remembered about. What is the difference between you and those invaders then who came here to destroy temples to build mosques?” she said, adding, if Modi wants, he can resolve the issue of J-K and he will be remembered in the history for that.
Referring to accession, Mehbooba said the people of J-K sidelined Pakistan and joined hands with India’s democracy.
“You talk about hoisting the flag, we accepted your Constitution and we accepted your flag long back, but with that Constitution was our little Constitution and a small flag. You ended both of them (on August 5, 2019). When you return our flag, our Constitution, when you open routes (across LoC) in J-K, when you start dialogue here as well as outside with respect to J-K, the issue of J-K will get resolved, then no one will stop you from becoming a Vishwaguru’. But, till then it will remain just a dream which will not get realised,” she said.
The PDP president said after the abrogation of Article 370, Modi has taken J-K to a point where the government has to threaten people to hoist tricolour.
“You are asking them (people) to deposit Rs 20 for it as well. This is such a great flag and every one respects the flag. Everyone salutes the flag of a country, but you have made this flag a political issue,” she said.
She also dared the prime minister to hoist the tricolour in the territory occupied by China in Ladakh.
“If you want to hoist the flag, then take back 1,000 sqkm of our land which China is occupying and hoist the flag there. Why are you threatening small children and shopkeepers?” Mehbooba said.
PTI

  Kashmir 370

Press Trust of India