Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Mar 7: Peo-ple’s Democratic Party (PDP) president, Mehbooba Mufti, today termed the decision of the former Chief Minister and her father, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, on alliance with the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) as final but said the Government formation will take place only when steps are taken for implementation of the agenda of alliance.
While speaking to reporters in the border town of Kupwara in North Kashmir, after a party function, Mehbooba said that on alliance with the BJP she stands by her father’s decision. “I would not want, in any way, to strengthen the stereotype that we Kashmiris are not true to our word. My father was true to his word and I stand by his word”, she said.
The PDP president said that she will move ahead on Government formation when there is forward movement on “Aagenda of Alliance.” …But where he forged an alliance, entered into a relation with the BJP and NDA, there was an agenda of alliance as well. We have agreed upon a programme which needs some forward movement. When that forward movement happens, I will also move forward towards accomplishing the goals set by Mufti Sayeed”, she said.
Earlier, while addressing party workers, Mehbooba said that she respects and will carry forward the decision taken by her father on alliance with BJP. “I want to make one thing clear that it is the decision taken by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and I respect that decision. When a, father makes a will to one of his children, it is the responsibility of that child to fulfill that without caring for his life”, she said.
The PDP president, however, said that both the alliance with BJP and implementation of agenda of alliance are equally important for her. “…There was another aspect of his decision that I am doing it for these, these things. The decision of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed to form alliance Government with BJP, shake hand with such a large country, shaking hand with a Government, the biggest aim was that the people of Jammu and Kashmir are benefited, unity of Jammu and Kashmir, for peace and development. So in that case, I will have to take the chair, otherwise it is a sin, the party will move on. Or I can say, I don’t do anything, whether it (implementation of agenda of alliance) will happen or not, this will not do. Both things are imperative for me. For me the decision of my father is final (Pather ki laqeer), but the agenda of alliance which they have chalked out that is also very important as the word of Mufti”, she said.
Mehbooba said that she will stick to her father’s decision on alliance with BJP as she doesn’t want to prove her father wrong as he always took right decisions. “Because, there is a stain on the people of Kashmir that they are taking a decision yesterday but ditch the next day. The biggest reason for that is the different decisions taken in 1947 and 1952. Still they don’t trust us. We are being viewed suspiciously. I don’t like, God forbid, to say anything that will make my father’s decision a false. Because Mufti used to take right decision”, she said.
The PDP president said that Mufti was confident that he will convince Prime Minister Narendra Modi, just like he convinced the former PM, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, for dialogue with Pakistan and Hurriyat Conference. “He was sincere and was full of confidence. He was aware that he will motivate Vajapyee ji to start a dialogue on Kashmir and with Hurriyat. He was confident of a ceasefire along the borders and opening of the cross-LoC roads. When we raised the billboards about Srinagar to Muzaffarabad road, we were laughed at. But Mufti Sayeed was confident like he was confident of motivating Modi Ji to visit Pakistan and when Modi Ji went there (in December last year), Mufti was on the hospital bed and when I told him, he said, I told you that there is no other option, either for them or for us. We have many wars but nothing can be achieved through wars. A young 26-year-old soldier from Udhampur, Tushar, and a young boy from Tral, who was known as Newton for securing 98 percent marks were killed. They are our future. This 18-year-old boy from Tral or the soldier from a poor family, they are our future. Mufti was confident of motivating the Centre for all the things. He was confident and I too had confidence in his confidence. But this vehicle is on two tyres. If one is to form the Government, other has the responsibility to fulfill the formalities”, she said.
Mehbooba said that she is not demanding anything from BJP but there are the issues concerning the people of the State which she wants to address. “I am not making any demand to BJP, this is not an issue concerning BJP or PDP. It is an issue concerning the people of the State. What the Centre is going to do for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. How much they are ready to come forward? I appeal you not to prefix late with the name of my father. I am very thankful to all of you, my father did not gave me any land, house or other property but the party and the people”, she said.
The PDP president said that her party’s fight is not against any political party but against unemployment, poverty and bloodshed. “Our fight is not against National Conference or Congress but against unemployment, poverty, bloodshed and frequent strikes, difficulties”, she added.
Mehbooba said that she will become the Chief Minister only if she feels that she can fulfill the dreams of her father. “I will sit on the chair only if I feel I will fulfill the dreams of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. The chair is needed for the people of the State, not for my home. If I will get the chair for my home alone, then I don’t need such a chair, as I don’t have any such ambition. Had I had such an ambition, I would have taken the chair when my father was alive”, she added.
The PDP president said that her father took the huge and difficult decision (alliance with BJP) only for restoring honourable peace and development and dignity of the youth of the State. “Such a huge and difficult decision was taken by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed to restore honourable peace, development and for the people and their dignity and for the youth of the State”, she said.
Mehbooba said that implementation of the Food Security Act was essential for every State and PDP-BJP Government gave its consent but didn’t implement it. “Today there is a lot of noise about Food Security Act. We don’t have the art of speaking lies, neither my father nor will we. This Food Security Bill was introduced in 2013. Whether you implement it or not, it is essential for every State and the Government at that time gave its consent but did not implement it. They neither informed the UPA that what difficulty it was facing in implementing the Act, nor came out with a strategy because they thought they are going to fight the Parliament elections in 2014 and the people will oppose. I am speaking the truth”, she said.
The PDP president said that if the Act was not implemented Centre would have stopped the ration and State would have been forced to buy it from open market. “After the Parliamentary election, the State faced with devastating floods and the State elections as well. They thought if the Act will be implemented, the people will get annoyed. But when it came to the notice of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, if the Act was not implemented, they (Centre) would have stopped the supply of ration”, she said.
Mehbooba said that the previous Government decided to provide 5 kg ration to each member of the family at the rate of Rs 3 and rest of it at the rate of Rs 10 per kilogramme as per previous scheme. “And we had no option but to buy costly rice from the open market and then sell it. So we chalked out a plan and asked them that the supply was coming as per the 2002 census whileas in the agenda of alliance we have sought it as per the 2011 census. There are some mistakes in the census and we need to correct these. After that we decided that a family, irrespective of the numbers whether two, five or 10, were getting 35 kgs of ration but now if a family comprises of 10 members, they will get 50 kgs rice, but those who have only two members in the family what benefit the five kgs ration will? So we have decided to announce a scheme, wherein we will provide 11 kgs ration to each member of a family – five kg ration at the rate of Rs 3 under NFSA while the rest in accordance with the previous scheme at the rate of Rs 10 so that nobody will be forced to starve”, she added.
The PDP president said that the previous Government had earmarked Rs 150 crore in the proposed budget for providing additional ration to the poor. “We had made a beginning to provide good healthcare to the people living in far flung areas. It was just a beginning. When Mufti sahib took over the State was facing a financial crunch. The State was facing a liability of Rs 10,000 crore. How we cleared that liability and prepared the budget in which we made special provision for the poor, enhanced the allowance of physically handicapped and widows. During a recent meeting with Governor, I made it clear that five kg ration is not enough. And as per Mufti Sayeed’s plan, we had earmarked Rs 150 crore in the budget from the State plan to provide the additional ration to the poor. I don’t know what will happen in the coming times”, she said.
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