‘Lone buried 3 lakh Kashmiris’
Irfan Tramboo
Srinagar, Sept 20: Minister and senior leader of ruling National Conference (NC) Sakeena Itoo today accused People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti of “acting on Delhi’s script”.
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She also alleged that PDP had “struck a deal” with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to remain in power, which eventually paved the way for the abrogation of Article 370.
Addressing a gathering at Devsar in south Kashmir’s Kulgam, after inaugurating newly constructed Primary Health Centre (PHC), Itoo alleged that the PDP was “created and funded” by BJP leader L K Advani in 2002.
“PDP claimed they would resolve the Kashmir issue, but in reality, they made a deal with the BJP—handing over Article 370, Statehood, J&K’s dignity—only to remain in power. This was the promise they made,” she said. Click here to watch video
Itoo accused the PDP and Mufti of “sucking the blood of the people” and being responsible for killings, contrasting it with the NC which, she said, “is the only party that works for the benefit of the people.”
She also targeted Mehbooba Mufti over her recent remarks about jailed Sarjan Barkati, stating that it was she who jailed him and his wife.
“She jailed him herself. His wife and daughter were picked up during her rule. There are 64 FIRs against him, all registered when the PDP was in power. Now she is crying over his detention. She works on Delhi’s script,” Itoo said.
The NC leader further lashed out at Mufti for raising the issue of separatist leader Yasin Malik, currently in jail, and demanding a “humanitarian review” of his case.
“She now cries for Yasin Malik. But it was her sister, Rubaiya Sayeed, who identified him in court in connection with her kidnapping case. How can she now act like his advocate?” Itoo remarked.
Turning her criticism towards Peoples Conference president and MLA Handwara, Sajad Lone, Itoo accused him of “burying three lakh Kashmiris.”
“If we look at any home in Kashmir, someone has been killed. Fathers buried, sons buried. It is because of Sajad, who told youth to pick up guns for freedom. He must apologize to the people,” she said.
Itoo maintained that unlike others, the NC had “never misled youth” or asked them to take up arms.
“When the situation deteriorated, at that time, I was young and my father was in politics, Dr Farooq told the youth not to destroy themselves because it would achieve nothing. Only he could say it. He never betrayed people the way others did,” she said.
She also accused Mufti of double standards while sharing power with the BJP and in close relation with the RSS, stating that she (Mufti) should be “ashamed” and apologize to the people.
“Be it the Prime Minister; Murli Manohar Joshi or other RSS leaders—she stood with them on stage and promised to resolve the Kashmir issue. But she instead made a deal to ensure that Articles 370 and 35A would be scrapped, Statehood taken away, and jobs and land rights diluted,” she added.
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