Srinagar: The BJP should not play with fire when it comes to the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said on Monday and warned that abrogating Article 370 would lead to freedom for the state from India.
“If you free Jammu and Kashmir from Article 370, you will free the state from country as well. I have said many times that Article 370 links J&K with the country. When you break this bridge, India loses its legitimacy over the state. It becomes an occupational force,” Mufti said.
The former chief minister was reacting to the Bharatiya Janata Party’s manifesto, in which the party has reiterated its commitment to abrogate Article 370 and annul Article 35A of the Constitution.
“The BJP has failed on fronts, be it unemployment, farmer issues or it price rise. Now they are looking for issues which they can use to garner votes,” Mufti said.
The Peoples Democratic Party leader warned that the BJP should desist from playing with fire, saying any change in the special status of the state could endanger the entire South-Asian region.
“J&K is already on a heap of explosives and we saw a glimpse of it in Pulwama. If the BJP does not stop making such statements and give up such intentions (about Article 370), it will not only burn J&K but the entire region.
“So my warning to the BJP is to stop playing with fire. There is explosives in Jammu and Kashmir. If you will light a spark, everything will go up in flames… there will be no Jammu and Kashmir or India left,” she added.
Earlier, Mufti said the Indian constitution would not be applicable to the state if Article 370 was abrogated.
“Why waste time in court. Wait for BJP to scrap Article 370. It will automatically debar us from fighting elections since Indian constitution won’t be applicable to J&K anymore,” she said in a tweet.
Mufti was responding to reports that a PIL has been filed in the Delhi High Court, seeking a ban on the PDP president and National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah from contesting the Lok Sabha election.
While Mehbooba is contesting from Anantnag, Abdullah is the candidate from Srinagar constituency.
Mehbooba, in her tweet, quoted a famous couplet of Urdu poet Allama Iqbal which reads: “‘Na samjho gay tou mit jaouge aye Hindustan walo. Tumhari dastaan tak bhi na hogi dastaano main’ (O you people of Hindustan, if you don’t understand, you will perish, your story will be erased from history)”
Why waste time in court. Wait for BJP to scrap Article 370. It will automatically debar us from fighting elections since Indian constitution won’t be applicable to J&K anymore. Na samjho gay tou mit jaouge aye Hindustan walo. Tumhari dastaan tak bhi na hogi dastaano main. https://t.co/3mvp2lndv2
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) April 8, 2019
Also read: BJP promises to build Ram temple, annul Article 35A in poll manifesto
What this BJP government is thinking? If they remove article 370, they India can not claim J&K is integral part of India. After removal, Indian forces cannot stay in the state. If they are there, then they will become occupational force. The bjp should think before they say anything on article 370. I am telling please don’t play with people emotions. There was a reason why framers of constitution introduced article 370. Understand that and act responsibly. If you go ahead and remove the said article, then you will create instability in the country. Please don’t destroy my country for your selfish needs.
Framer of the constitution said that article 370 is a temporary provision. Ambedkar wasn’t even in favour of it. It has been 70 years. How long this temporary provision go? This article has kept the separatism alive in J&K and it should be removed. Don’t appease the Islamic fundamentalists of the Valley. Her Father couldn’t even protect Kashmiri Pandits being thrown out of the valley in their own country.
The language Begum Mehbooba Mufti is using is a little over the top. It makes a reasoned debate more difficult to engage in. However, she may be reflecting the views of the vast majority of Kashmiris who regard Article 370 ( 35 AA may be regarded as a logical corollary ) as a sacred covenant that defines the terms on which the Muslim majority princely state acceded to India. If, instead of initiating a purposive, constructive dialogue with the people of Kashmir, which grants them more autonomy, an effort is made to put the clock back, we may find ourselves unable to deal with the consequences. 2. Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar has tweeted how, after decades, the “ Kashmir file “ is in danger of being opened at the UN. The human rights situation has been commented upon by the UNHRC. We will soon see the percentage of people who will vote, first in the Lok Sabha, then in the Assembly, elections. Statesmanship, not brinkmanship, is required.
She is worse than hurriyat. J&K isn’t the property of her father. It belongs to the people who don’t share her opinion