“After demolitions people realised Art 370 was shield”
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Feb 18: The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti today said her party implemented its own agenda by aligning with the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) and ensured protection to the people of Jammu and Kashmir and their identity.
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Addressing party workers here at the PDP headquarters in Srinagar, the former Chief Minister said that they grabbed the BJP hand to stop them from wreaking heavoc.
“Mufti Sayeed grabbed the BJP’s hand so that he could stop them. For one year, he was the Chief Minister and I was the Chief Minister for two years. We implemented our agenda, the J&K agenda,” she said.
“No power of the world could have stopped the BJP from forming a Government in J&K. Mufti Sayeed was a visionary and he decided that he will form a Government on the conditions which will ensure protection to the people of J&K and its identity,” she said.
She said she would have continued to be the Chief Minister of J&K even today had she followed the BJP’s line. “Since I did not, they pulled out of the Government,” she said.
“The BJP, Jan Sangh and RSS are at the forefront of spreading propaganda that I brought them in Kashmir but you (BJP) know that I have kept your hands tied and didn’t allow you to speak,” she said.
She said after winning three seats in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the PDP had expected to win 43 Assembly seats in Jammu and Kashmir, but won only 28, while the BJP bagged 25 seats in Jammu.
“It took Mufti Sayeed three months (to form the Government). We have been accused of bringing the BJP into Jammu and Kashmir but how would one stop them? They had the majority in Parliament, they won the majority in Jammu and also, two seats in Kupwara,” she said.
She said the people of Jammu and Kashmir have now come to realise how Article 370 of the Constitution acted as a protective shield for them, after the BJP-led Government used bulldozers to demolish houses and businesses of the poor.
“When Article 370 was abrogated, some people thought it would only affect the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the National Conference (NC). When the bulldozers came to demolish our homes, businesses and even the shelters for our domestic animals, people realised how Article 370 was a protection for us,” she said.
Mehbooba said that she had convinced top leadership of the country for dialogue and brought them on table but unfortunately Hurriyat reciprocated “abysmally” to the offer.
“I wrote to Hurriyat to talk to New Delhi and put forth argument, but unfortunately they reciprocated abysmally. They didn’t give appropriate response to the offer. They shut their doors which was against the ethics and tradition of Kashmiriyat,” she said.
While recalling her efforts in resolving issues, Mehbooba said that her party offered healing touch to the wounds of Kashmiris and brought them out of the uncertain situation prevailed in the past. “I scrapped 12000 FIRs registered against youth and brought country’s top leadership on table for talks with Hurriyat. Besides I ensured peaceful life for border residents while executing one month ceasefire on LoC,” she said.
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