Standing a few paces away from Prime Minister NarendraModi in SKICC on Saturday, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti made an impassioned plea for his support to implement the PDP-BJP’s “Agenda of Alliance, an agreement worked out between the two parties three years earlier to fulfil their common political objectives.
“It (agenda) is not an ordinary document. It is a roadmap for taking J&K out of sufferings as it has solution for every problem confronting the state. We are hopeful that we will act upon in times to come and you (the Prime Minister) will support us in its implementation,” Mehbooba said at a function at SKICC in Srinagar during which the Prime Minister inaugurated the 330-MW Kishenganga hydropower project and also laid a foundation stone of the 42-kilometer Srinagar Ring Road.
The Chief Minister asserted that there was unanimity among the mainstream parties in Kashmir that the agenda would bring peace and ensure equitable development for all three regions of the state. “The agenda talks about the ways to improve situation and how to take dialogue process forward. There is solution to every problem in it, be it the problems faced by West Pakistan refugees, PoK displaced people and Kashmiri Pandits …every issue has solution in the agenda,” she said.
Prior to the formation of the government in March 2015 the PDP and BJP took three months to frame the agenda. Some of the key components of the agenda include dialogue at external and internal levels for the Kashmir solution, the return of two NHPC owned power projects to the state, demilitarization and the AFSPA revocation. But this governance roadmap, which has been repeatedly described as “sacred” by the PDP, has seen little progress so far. This is for the first time that the Chief Minister has publicly sought support from the Prime Minister in its implementation. “This is our country. This (J&K) is your state and it is the crown of the country. You have taken decisions in the past and we are hopeful that you will take decisions ahead also,” Mehbooba told the Prime Minister.
Mehbooba thanked Modi for New Delhi’s announcement of the unilateral ceasefire in Kashmir during Ramadhaan and hoped that he would take more steps to take J&K out of the problems. “Not only we but mothers of children have a peaceful sleep for past three days knowing that their children are safe,” she said. “We are highly thankful to you for taking such a big step.” She took a dig at Pakistan for not responding positively to the ceasefire announced by New Delhi. “It is unfortunate that Pakistan has not responded to this goodwill gesture. Had they responded positively then precious lives would not have been lost in yesterday’s firing by Pakistan on the border in Jammu,” Mehbooba said
“I know that announcing halt to anti-militancy operations was a very tough decision for the Prime Minister,” Mehbooba said, recalling that similar decision was taken by former Prime Minister AtalBihari Vajpayee in 2000. “This decision is always taken from position of strength and not from weak position. I want to tell you (the Prime Minister) that since you have tried to heal wounds of our people and I assure you that your one positive step will be reciprocated by 10 positive steps by our people,” she said. Stating that the people of J&K were faced with different problems, Mehbooba recalled the “initiatives” taken by Modi in the past to try and engage Pakistan. “There is no doubt that you took so many efforts to take people of J&K out of these sufferings. Whatever we can get we will get it from you as our Prime Minister and from our country. You are the Prime Minister of this great nation and you will have to heal our wounds,” Mehbooba said “You went to Pakistan for our sake…it wasn’t an easy decision for you. This has never happened that the Prime Minister of such a great country has taken such a step. You also invited him (the Pakistan Prime Minister) to you oath ceremony function. Then in 2016 our Home Minister went there. But unfortunately we didn’t get any positive response from their side,” Mehbooba said. Stating that the solution to Kashmir problem was the biggest challenge for the Prime Minister, Mehbooba said: “You (the Prime Minister) tried many things in the past. You are a great leader and our country is big. I am hopeful that you will continue with your efforts to take J&K out of sufferings. We are optimistic that you will take more steps to end our problems.”