Hirra Azmat
Srinagar, Mar 26: Two former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Ministers Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti are busy picking holes in each other’s tenures these days in a build up to the Parliamentary elections beginning next month.
Omar, the National Conference vice president, Tuesday said that PDP president Mehbooba Mufti is the person who couldn’t save the flag of the state and she, thus, should not claim to protect the state’s special position.
“It was in PDP’s tenure that an order was passed. It said that state’s flag should be hoisted in every department. Within two days, Mehbooba ji revoked the order,” he said, while addressing a large gathering at Flood Colony Baramulla.
The NC vice president lashed out at Mehbooba, blaming her for the large number of killings and youth joining militant ranks during her regime.
“Basharat Bukhari Sahib is sitting beside me right now. He is the same person who sent Mehbooba ji a file through a minister. In the file, it was mentioned that the fake state subjects should be cancelled. Today, I am asking Mehbooba ji: what did you do with that file?” he asked.
He said in a reference to Mehbooba Mufti, “To remain in BJP’s good books and secure your party, you kept the file under the wraps. Now do you think you will protect the state’s special position? You are mistaken, you can’t do anything. We lost so many youngsters and a large section of educated youth took to arms in your tenure. The same youth who deserved a better future were dragged to the graveyards.”
He was also critical of the BJP-led central government and said that it was the Sikh Community and not Prime Minister Narendra Modi who rescued Kashmiris living in other states from the recent mob violence.
Omar, while launching a scathing attack at Modi Government said that it was Sikh brethren across India who wholeheartedly offered their places for runaway Kashmiris fearing mob violence after the Pulwama attack.
“Do you again want to see the Kashmiris living outside the state being targeted for another five years? Our children studying outside were singled out and forced to leave their accommodations. This all happened because of BJP-RSS camaraderie,” he said.
Omar claimed that for ten days the response of the Prime Minister to the violence against Kashmiris was awaited but nothing happened.
“We waited in anticipation that our PM will speak for our rights and ensure protection for the students. But it was our Sikh brothers in Punjab, Haryana and Delhi who saved Kashmiris and not the Central Government.”
NC brought NIA to Kashmir: Mehbooba Mufti
Former chief minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president, Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday blamed National Conference (NC) for the current proceedings of National Investigation Agency (NIA) in Jammu and Kashmir.
Mehbooba, while talking to reporters at Baramulla on the sidelines of her party’s rally, said that it was National Conference-Congress regime led by Omar Abdullah in 2009, which brought NIA to J&K.
“When NC forged an alliance with BJP in 2009, they brought in Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) to the state, gave away seven power projects, and also brought NIA to the state,” Mufti said, adding that PDP was “always against such anti-people moves”.
“On the contrary, we categorically told BJP not to tamper with Article 370, demanded the revocation of AFSPA, and withdrawal of army from civilian areas,” she said.
“While in power, we revoked FIRs against thousands of detained youth whereas BJP had planned other nefarious designs which included a crackdown on JEI, Moulvis, NIA raids on separatists but I didn’t allow them to do it,” she claimed.
Mufti said her party introduced several “peace building” measures but got a cold shoulder in return.
“Militants were not supportive when I forced BJP to have ceasefire for a month. I wanted to have a dialogue with separatist leaders and even a parliamentary committee visited Kashmir in 2016 but
they shut their doors. Dineshwar Sharma was appointed as the interlocutor to have dialogue with the separatist leadership but they didn’t support it,” she said.
She also said that oppressive measures through NIA won’t yield any result, but a political solution is the only way out to resolve Kashmir issue. “You cannot resolve the issues by imposing bans and
seizing the properties but a political issue needs a political resolution only,” Mehbooba said.
She also welcomed the reports of opening of Sharda Peeth by Pakistan, saying that the step will benefit Kashmiri Pandits as it was the long pending demand of the particular community.
