Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Jan 18 : People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti today said that the starting point for any reconciliation will have to be the restoration of the special status and Statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.
“The solution to Jammu and Kashmir lies within the Indian Constitution and there is no way other than reconciliation in Jammu and Kashmir but the starting point for it will be the restoration of whatever has been snatched from the (erstwhile) State,” Mufti told reporters here.
She was responding to a question about Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s statement on Kashmir in an interview with Dubai-based Al Arabiya TV.
“I do not know what he (Sharif) has said, but we in the PDP believe that the solution to this issue is within the Constitution of the country. It is the Constitution that gave a special status to Jammu and Kashmir,” she said.
She said her party wants the relations between India and Pakistan to improve.
“We want the relations between the two countries to improve and that more routes across the border are opened…. And there should be free movement and trade as well,” she said.
On eviction of people from State land, Mehbooba said that the laws have been brought to J&K to disempower, humiliate and punish the people.
“Whenever the laws are being made, they are being made for the welfare of the people but unfortunately post 2019, the laws that were brought here have been used as a weapon against the people. The laws have been weaponised and used against the people of J&K, to disempower, humiliate and punish them,” she said.
She said that the GoI is testing the patience of the people of J&K by such laws and tactics.
“I think it is punishment to the people who have constructed houses of 4, 5, 10 marlas of State land and are living there for years together. Ultimately it would not be good. I think Government of India is testing the patience of the people of J&K. A time will come when people won’t tolerate this,” she said.
About PM’s statement over asking his Ministers to refrain from anti Muslim remarks, Mehbooba said how can it be reaching out to Muslim community when the only Muslim majority State in India was dismembered and people were disempowered by the PM. “It is very unfortunate and I am disappointed that in secular country there was one Muslim majority State which was dismembered and disempowered,” she added.
On the BJY of Rahul Gandhi, she said: “For me it is reclaiming of the legacy of this country which is the idea of India. It means to me that the Congress party which struggled for the Independence of this country and making it secular democratic and BJP is bent upon destroying all this”.
“Rahul Gandhi has come out to join the fabric of this country which BJP has torn apart and thousands are joining him for this cause,” she said.
When asked about Lal Singh joining the yatra, Mehbooba said that it doesn’t mean to her who joins it, as it has a great significance.
“Being a Muslim majority State, we were badly treated and BJY was the only option. We welcome the Yatra and will also participate. It does not mean to me who participates in it but we have to see its significance. The worst sufferers of the communal politics have been people of J&K,” she said.
On limiting of Shri Amarnath yatra, she said that she doesn’t want environmental disaster as is being witnessed in Joshimath.
“It is Sengupta Committee report on Amarnath Yatra that should be implemented. It talks of regulating the yatra and allowing only 4000-5000 per day due to environmental concerns. We don’t want that we should face same situation as Joshimath is facing,” she said.
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