Mehbooba Mufti supports Mamata’s call, says imperative for opposition parties to unite

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SRINAGAR : PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday supported the call by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for a united and effective struggle against the BJP” and said it is imperative for the opposition parties to unite “to protect our democracy and its cherished values”.
“Agree with Mamata di that in order to protect our democracy and its cherished values it is imperative for the opposition parties to unite,” Mehbooba Mufti said in a tweet.
She also attached a letter and said the recent passage of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill was another example of “bulldozing” by BJP. The PDP leader also referred to scrapping of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and its bifurcation into two union territories.
“I share and understand your apprehensions about the central government undermining the federal framework that has been guaranteed by the Indian Constitution. The recent GNCTD Bill is yet another example of how BJP is bulldozing its opponents by using its brute majority to pass and implement bills. This process started in 2019 with the dismemberment of Jammu and Kashmir and stripping it of its special status which was again a constitutional guarantee,” she said in the letter.
The former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister said not many in the opposition used their collective power and voice to oppose “this unilateral and illegal step”.
“It became a shrill debate between so-called nationals and anti-nationals. Owing to the fear of being brandished as anti-national nobody questioned it,” she said.
The PDP leader alleged that this was followed by “converting Jammu and Kashmir into an open-air prison” and detaining of political leadership.
“As you rightly mentioned that the central agencies like NIA and ED have left no stone unturned to hound the people here. Therefore, the need of the hour is to unite and put up a collective fight against this onslaught,” she said.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has written a letter to opposition leaders including Congress president Sonia Gandhi “for a united and effective struggle against the BJP’s attacks on democracy and constitution” and suggested that a meeting should be held after the assembly polls to “deliberate the issues and chart a plan of action”.
The letter has been sent to several opposition leaders including NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy, DMK leader MK Stalin, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav, CPI (ML) leader Dipankar Bhattacharya, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti.
The Trinamool Congress chief said that there is a need to present a credible alternative to the people of India. (Agency)