Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Friday said the bonhomie between Kashmir and Jammu regions has proved that the decision of her father, Mufti Muhammad Sayeed, to form government with BJP was right.
Speaking in the Legislative Assembly during debate on grants for the departments headed by her, Mehbooba said, “Today one of the opposition members said there was no problem in Jammu when Amarnath attack took place. It proves that our decision to ally with BJP was right. I am proud of the decision my father took for the people of J&K.”
Reacting to former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s remarks in the House, the CM said she will not refrain to “go to hell 100 times” if it is meant to bring the people of Jammu and Kashmir out of the uncertainty. “Omar Sahab left the House after issuing Fatwa that I will go to hell. Jammu and Kashmir is a heaven. If I have to go hell to save this heaven, I will prefer to go 100 times. It is not a big price for me.
If one Mehbooba Mufti goes to hell for bringing out the people of Jammu and Kashmir out of the uncertainty, it is not a big deal,” she said.
On Omar Abdullah’s remarks over BJP, the CM said the public mandate should not be insulted. “They (BJP) are the world’s largest party. They have the public mandate. We should not insult the people who voted for them,” she said.
Mehbooba said the demand of revocation of AFSPA was not realistic at this juncture.
She said the deterioration in law order situation only adds to the miseries and pain of the people of Kashmir. “We are also keen to withdraw the AFSPA and reduce footprints of security forces from civilian areas. The footprints of the security forces, unfortunately, go up as violence increases,” she said.
Pitching for opening of more routes between two parts of Kashmir, the CM said history cannot be changed but “we can use our geography to solve our problems.” “We can become part of central Asia and gateway of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) for our country,” she said.
She said J&K’s mainstream parties can convince the Government of India to open more routes for trade and travel between two parts of Jammu & Kashmir.
On her party’s self-rule, Mehbooba said the roadmap seeks resolution of Kashmir issue within the ambit of Indian Constitution. “The Indian constitution is flexible to accommodate our aspirations. There is no need to change Indian Constitution for opening Kargil-Askardu, Suchetgarh-Sailkot and other routes,” she said.
Mehbooba lashed out at separatists for “using Masjids for political purposes and giving Chalo calls.”
“They should not make Masjids as Akharas. They should leave Masjids. Idhar Chalo, Udhar Chalo calls have not lead us to anything,” she said.
Mehbooba said action against a few guilty Army personnel doesn’t mean entire Army is guilty.
“I want to put on record that our Army is the most disciplined force in the world. One person, two persons or three persons (in Army) can commit mistakes. Was action not taken against the Army personnel involved in land scam in Mumbai? That does not mean entire Army is involved in land scam,” she said.
She said government has registered an FIR in the Shopian case. “No counter FIR has been lodged by Army. The Army’s version is part of the FIR. We have to listen to both the sides,” she said.
On her efforts of extending healing touch, the Chief Minister said her Government took the initiative of withdrawal of cases against more than 9700 youth against whom cases of stone pelting were pending since 2008.
She said that she was happy to say that on this subject both Central and State Governments are on the same page.
She said Government has constituted a SIT into the case of death of a young girl at Hiranagar and even the case has been handed over to Crime Branch for expeditious probe.
On the developmental front, the Chief Minister said she has directed adoption of a three pronged strategy of Connectivity, Productivity & Employability while taking up developmental projects in the State.
Rejecting the charge of some opposition members of undermining the local MLAs during her public outreach programmes, the Chief Minister said wherever she went during these programmes funds were released irrespective of the political affiliations of the applicants.