Mehbooba Mufti calls BJP alliance ‘suicide’, slams Modi for not rising to the occasion the way Vajpayee did
New Delhi: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti Friday said that its alliance with the National Conference (NC) and the Congress was the “need of the hour”.
Mufti was speaking at a discussion on “Kashmir — The Way Forward”, organised by the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) in Mumbai.
She said there is complete “distrust” and “disconnect” between the people of Kashmir and Delhi (central government). “They look inwards or outwards (outside the border) for support,” the ORF quoted her as saying.
Mufti regrets BJP tie-up
Mufti called her party’s decision of aligning with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) “suicide”.
“During the time of (former Prime Minister Atal Bihari) Vajpayee, the people of Kashmir thought of him as a leader who cared. Even Pakistan responded positively resulting in reduction of militancy and ceasefire…,” she said.
“We put everything on the line because we hoped that (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi will pick up where Vajpayeeji left. Unfortunately, Modiji could not rise to the occasion,” she said.
Taking a jibe at the BJP by bringing up the cow debate, Mufti said: “Thank God we are living in a democracy where people are allowed to vote and not cows.”
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‘Peace must for governance’
The former J&K CM said that after Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani’s killing in 2016, her entire tenure was focused on law and order.
“Governance is possible only if there is peace. Kashmiris are the sufferers. Till when will our people keep witnessing this farce of people getting killed?” she asked.
She also stressed that the idea of “azad (free) Kashmir” must be replaced with a better idea within the framework of the Indian Constitution. “We cannot go back to 1947, we have to move forward,” Mufti said.
She said that SAARC countries are being held hostage to the animosity between India and Pakistan.
“Personally, I feel that SAARC countries are being held hostage to the animosity between India and Pakistan. For example, why can’t we have a SAARC Handicrafts University in Kashmir?” she asked.
On 21 November, Mufti had staked claim to form an alliance with the Congress and the NC. Soon after, Sajad Lone, leader of the Jammu and Kashmir People’s Conference, had also staked claim with the support of the BJP and other legislators. Governor Satya Pal Malik had dissolved the Assembly the same evening.
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