The National Conference leaders are befooling the people of Jammu and Kashmir by talking about restoration of ‘Sadr-e-Riyasat’ (president) and ‘Wazir-e-Azam’ (prime minister) portfolios for the state, the Peoples Democratic Party chiefMehbooba Mufti said on Friday.
Addressing an election rally here to seek votes for Aga SyedMohsin, the PDP candidate for the Srinagar parliamentary constituency, Mehboobasaid: “Nowadays some leaders are befooling the people in their election ralliesby talking about restoration of prime minister and president portfolios forJammu and Kashmir. When these leaders were in power and were enjoying amajority in the state assembly, they brought the prevention of terrorism Act(POTA) and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to the state to arrest theseparatist leaders, and also handed over power projects to the BharatiyaJanataParty”.
Mehbooba, however, did not name the National Conferencechief Omar Abdullah, who has recently said that his party would strive to getback the titles of president and prime minister for the state, if voted topower.
“Let’s talk of these portfolios later and concentrate firston the state’s special status, which is being snatched from us,” the PDPpresident said, asserting that accession between J&K and the Union of Indiawas “conditional”.
“Being a Muslim-majority state, J&K was supposed to goto the other side (Pakistan), but we preferred to remain with India on thecondition that the state must have a special status,” she said.
Mehbooba said her party will fight tooth and nail “anyattempt or conspiracy aimed at weakening or abrogating the state’s specialstatus.”
“Weakening or abrogating the special status would mean theend of relation of Jammu and Kashmir with the union of India,” she said.
Mehbooba said the PDP allied with BJP and formed thegovernment “only with the intent of having the hearts and the inner voice ofthe people of the state heard”.
“PDP focused on two important points, which includessettlement of Kashmir issue by talking with the people of the state and bymaking Jammu and Kashmir a bridge between Pakistan and India, and talking withthe neighbouring country (Pakistan) to create a friendly relationship with it”.
“PDP entered into an alliance and formed the government withthe BJP on certain conditions, including return of power projects andinitiating a dialogue process between India and Pakistan for settlement of theKashmir issue,” she said.
Talking about the recent killing of an engineering student-turned-militantfrom Nunar area of Ganderbal district, the PDP president said “in his death, welost another educated youth”.
“Every day we are losing lives of such youth in encounterswho even don’t know how to keep guns in their hands. They are unable to holdguns in their hands. Let’s introspect and see who’s responsible for such ascenario,” she said.
She slammed those leaders who left the PDP in recent months,and, while raising her hand up to her forehead, saluted those leaders of theparty who remained loyal to it “in its difficult times”.
“I appreciate and salute those leaders who upheld the flagof PDP in the party’s difficult times,” Mehbooba said.
“Those who could not remain loyal to the party that gavethem respect, position, status and identity can never be loyal to the people,”she said.
She termed the killing of Kupwara youth due to pellets onThursday as “unfortunate”.
Later talking to reporters on the sidelines of the function,she said the state administration is “on a spree of taking ridiculous decisionsone after the other”.
“Not allowing Nomads/Gujjars/Bakerwals to transport theirlivestock from Jammu to Valley is an insensitive decision. They cannot waituntil elections are over,” Mehbooba said.
“This has put the tribal nomadic community at great stressas such a delay in their movement from Jammu towards the Valley is fraught withconsequences,” she said.
Terming such restrictions as “insensitive” and”unacceptable”, Mehbooba said she has taken up the matter with Governor SatyaPal Malik and demanded immediate revocation of the curbs.
“I have taken up the matter with Governor who has assured meof all help,” she said.