Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Feb 26: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president, Mehbooba Mufti today said Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Israel goes against India’s longstanding foreign policy principles.
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Speaking to reporters in Anantnag, Mufti said Modi’s recent interaction with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was “completely against India’s foreign policy” and claimed that much of the international community opposes him.
She alleged that Netanyahu had been indicted by the International Criminal Court and could face arrest in several countries. “In this case, PM Modi, who represents 140 crore people, went and hugged a criminal, met him and talked to him. I think this is not a good sign for our country, for the country of Gandhi,” she said.
Turning to local governance, the PDP Chief called for immediate panchayat elections in Jammu and Kashmir, arguing that grassroots institutions were essential to address public grievances.
“Absolutely, there should be panchayat elections. People have a lot of problems at the grassroots level,” she said.
She added that people had expected their concerns to be resolved after the formation of the Government but were now disillusioned. “They thought their problems would be solved. They are not being solved,” she said.
She urged voters to prioritise capable candidates over party loyalties. “I request people not to see parties in every village, but to elect good people who can serve them, she added.”
Mufti said public anxiety had deepened over the past one to two years. “The situation in Kashmir is getting worse day by day. People are very worried,” she said.
Among the concerns she cited was the issue of fruit entering the region from outside without tax, which she claimed could harm both public health and local growers. She also objected to a proposed eligibility test for teachers, saying it had created insecurity among educators. “There is always a sword hanging over their heads. If they fail, they will lose their jobs,” she said.
The PDP Chief further referred to what she described as an “overall discussion” about people lodged in jails, suggesting broader unease in the region.
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