Excelsior Correspondent
Jammu, Nov 11: People’s Democratic Party president and Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti today said the emerging scenario in Jammu & Kashmir and the subcontinent can be addressed best by executing and following the vision of late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. She said her party’s agenda has always been dialogue and discourse and not war mongering.
Addressing a meeting of party’s district and zonal presidents’ of Jammu province here today, Mehbooba said the situation of past few months in the State and the consequent acrimonious relations between India-Pakistan demand that the political philosophy and vision of the late leader about Jammu & Kashmir and Indo-Pak relations is forthwith implemented and executed.
She reminded the delegates that ever since the party was formed in 1999, it has always stood for dialogue, peace and harmonious relations between India and Pakistan adding wars have nowhere in the present world solved any problems, rather compounded them only. She said the problems being faced by the people of border areas in the State also underscore the need for pushing for dialogue to resolve issues and maintain peaceful relations.
Terming the formation of PDP as a boon for the people of the State, Mehbooba said the objective with late Mufti sahib then was to provide J&K people a platform from where they could express themselves freely. She said democracy in J&K couldn’t flourish earlier as people did not have such a platform which resulted in countless miseries to them. She said late Mufti sahib considered this as his big achievement and would often say that alternatives in democracy result into an accountable political system.
Terming the party as a sacred trust of the late leader, the PDP president exhorted upon the functionaries to strengthen the party at grassroots to let the State’s people reap the benefits of this political platform. She asked them to further strengthen their relations with the party which late Mufti sahib had built.
Asking party workers to emulate the principles of late Mufti sahib in their political activities, Mehbooba said interests of Jammu & Kashmir and its people were always paramount to the late leader than the comforts of power or personal life.
She said the late leader took a very difficult but bold decision to join hands with BJP for forming a Government only to serve the best interests of Jammu & Kashmir and pursue his agenda of dialogue and development which could not be pursued after he had left office in 2005.
“He could have formed Government otherwise also but chose a difficult path for himself just to ease the State’s people of their difficulties”, she added.
Asking the workers to take forward the party’s political and development agenda among people, the Chief Minister asked them to ensure participation of more and more people in the party’s mission. She said the alliance with BJP was stitched on the basis of a common minimum programme which was formulated after months of deliberations.
Complimenting people of Jammu for maintaining peace despite provocations, she said the people of the province, including Chenab and Pir Panchal valley’s, showed maturity and wit and defeated nefarious designs of divisive forces. She said all the road connectivity projects would be taken up to improve inter-people and inter-region connectivity.
Mehbooba asked the functionaries to seek more and more involvement of women in the policies and programmes of the party adding the Government has taken many big steps for their welfare and empowerment including setting up of police stations, buses, scooty scheme, ladli beti scheme etc.
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