BJP put entire J&K on sale, dividing people on religious lines: Mehbooba

Former J&K Chief Minister and PDP president, Mehbooba Mufti interacting with media-persons in Jammu on Tuesday. —Excelsior/Rakesh
Former J&K Chief Minister and PDP president, Mehbooba Mufti interacting with media-persons in Jammu on Tuesday. —Excelsior/Rakesh

‘Delhi Govt considers J&K as Testing Laboratory’
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 21: While accusing the BJP of creating wedge in the society by dividing people on religious lines, former J&K Chief Minister and PDP president, Mehbooba Mufti today alleged that the J&K UT has been put on sale by the BJP-led Union Government.
“The Jammu and Kashmir has been put on sale by the Union Government for the people from outside the J&K UT. They want us to become bankrupt in order to make us dependent on people from other states,” Mehbooba Mufti said while interacting with media-persons here this afternoon.
The PDP president claimed that all the projects which were launched during her tenure as the Chief Minister of the erstwhile J&K state, have been abandoned by the BJP-led Government at the Centre.
She alleged that the contracts of liquor businesses under the New Excise Policy have been given to the people from outside the J&K UT. “The liquor will be consumed by the people of Jammu and Kashmir but the profit will be go to the pockets of outsiders,” Mehbooba regretted.
Former J&K Chief Minister claimed that all the big projects, including mining contracts, have been allotted to the outsiders. Mufti, who is supporting the Jammu traders’ call for bandh on Wednesday against the opening of Reliance retail stores in the city, said the these new outlets will badly damage the small businessmen and destroy their age old family businesses.
“What we have in the country, they (BJP Government) are selling to Corporate houses”, she regretted.
Click here to watch video
Replying to a question about investments coming to Jammu and Kashmir, she said, “Whatever investments we got earlier have also been destroyed. They (industries) have gone back after closing their ventures here”.
“Earlier, there were strikes in Kashmir, but now they are taking place in Jammu,” she said.
She also accused the BJP Government of dividing people of Jammu and Kashmir on religious lines.
“J&K is Laboratory where they are testing (divide and rule policy). It (policy) will then be applied to other states,” she alleged.
“The BJP dubs those who raise any issue as `anti-nationals’. A Sardar Ji becomes Khalistani, We are dubbed as Pakistanis… BJP people only call themselves as Hindustanis,” the PDP leader asserted.
While responding to yet another question, Mehbooba said stone pelting is not a disease but a symptom and asserted that the “disease is growing” and the Delhi Government must pay attention to cure this disease.