Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Mar 23: Accusing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of doing nothing for displaced Pandits from Valley during their rule, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president and former Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti today alleged the way Prime Minister, Narendra Modi is promoting Vivek Agnihotri’s Kashmir Files had he taken same steps for displaced Pandits welfare, their condition would have been quite different today.
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Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a party meeting here, today Mehbooba Mufti said she has not seen the Kashmir Files but she has come to know the picture has shown the violence and bloodshed in Kashmir.
Admitting what has happened with Pandits during 1989 and 1990 in Valley was bad but at the same time she advocates for a probe into the violence of Gujarat and Delhi. Besides, she said that cognisance should be taken what happened with Muslims of J&K, Hindus and Sikhs also.
Mehbooba, who reiterated that BJP has done nothing for displaced Pandits from Valley said whatever facilities and benefits they were provided was done during the Government of her father Mufti Mohammed Sayed. It was then Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh during UPA Government at Delhi who sanctioned a job package for displaced Pandit youth. The migrants were shifted from camps to flats in Jammu. Quarters were constructed for them at Sheikhpora in Budgam, Vessu in Kulgam, Mattan in Anantnag and Tulmulla in Ganderbal district while BJP did nothing for them in its rule, she added.
Making a scathing attack on BJP, the PDP chief said that the Modi Government was instigating the people to promote film Kashmir Files.
In response to a question that NC president and former CM, Dr Farooq Abdullah has said that he had opposed freeing five militants for release of Mehbooba’s sister Rubia Syeed in 1989, the PDP chief said if that was wrong why BJP Government itself took the Jaish militants to Kandahar in Afghanistan during its rule.
Mehbooba said in J&K every one faced atrocities and all people suffered due to turmoil. The people of the J&K were sandwiched between Pak and Indian gun with the result every one suffered. The Kashmiri Pandits also suffered because of that. What could be more horrible than it that surrendered militants gunned down a pregnant woman, she added.
Cautioning people against the divisive and dangerous politics of the BJP, Mehbooba regretted that instead of solving basic problems of the masses this party is brazenly indulging in creating an atmosphere of hatred and division across the country.
“Atmosphere of hate suits BJP to consolidate its vote bases. Since 2014 we are watching how the BJP is reaping political benefits of the divisive rhetoric”, Mehbooba said while addressing a one-day convention of PDP workers earlier.
“Except hoodwinking the gullible masses by raking up emotive issues, the BJP has done nothing to solve basic problems of the people”, she said and pointed out that every section of the society be it youth, women, working-class, weaker sections, and minorities are bearing brunt of the wrong policies of BJP.
“As day today problems of the masses are compounding due to wrong policies of the Government, the BJP is shamelessly indulging into fuelling the hatred across the country to divert people’s attention from basic issues like unemployment, inflation, etc”, the PDP president said.
Blasting the BJP for inciting religious hatred and engaging in divisive politics, the former Chief Minister asked the people of Jammu to remain vigilant against such evil designs of BJP.
The PDP president further said that J&K has been plunged into unprecedented crisis after the abrogation of Article 370 and downgrading of the erstwhile State into two Union Territories (UTs).
“While the whole J&K has suffered immensely on the economic front due to devastating steps taken by Centre and the J&K administration, Jammu region is the worst victim of Government’s policies”, she pointed out.
“During the four years, democratic institutions have brazenly been subverted in J&K and there is no freedom of speech”, she observed and warned that policies being pursued by the Union Government would prove disastrous for the people of J&K as every section of the society has suffered badly due to ill-advised steps taken by the Government.
Pointing towards the flourishing of liquor and mining mafia in the Jammu region, controlled by outsiders, the PDP president said that it appears that the present dispensation in J&K is hell-bent to render people of this region jobless.
Speaking on the occasion, Mehboob Beg, Organizational general secretary of PDP, recalled people of Jammu had celebrated the ‘unconstitutional’ decision taken by the Union Government on August 5, 2019. “Now the Jammu is the worst victim of the policies being pursued by the Centre and J&K Government”, he said and regretted that the present regime has no plans to get rid of the problem of growing unemployment among the youths.
Abdul Hamid Choudhary, vice president, Amreek Singh Reen, general secretary, Rashid Malik, additional general secretary, Balbir Singh, Rajinder Manhas, Satpal Charak, Sohit Sharma, Harmit Singh, Sukhvinder Singh, Surjeet Kour, Ashok Jogi, Varinder Singh Sonu, Zulfikar Malik, Sunil Bhat, Kuldeep Sharma, Vimal Sharma and others also spoke on the occasion.
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