Srinagar: Former Chief Minister and PDP President Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday urged the youth in Jammu and Kashmir to actively take part in every election and not to leave any space uncontested.
She said taking part in polls is the only weapon to fight with. “I appeal to all the youth, please do not leave any space uncontested. Be ready to fight every election be it panchayat, urban local bodies, or assembly election. This is your only weapon you can fight with,” Mehobooba said.
She was addressing PDP’s first youth convention post revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status. The former Chief Minister stated that the J&K Assembly was the most powerful. “Now, panchayats are tipped as such vital institutions but the BJP leaders themselves prefer to occupy the highest seats elsewhere. Let them limit their role to panchayats only,” Mehbooba said.
The PDP President said that a Muslim majority State in 1947, Kashmir saw no bloodshed at that time. “J&K decided to accede to Gandhi’s India that talked about communal harmony and not today’s India. However, the BJP has played with the dignity and identity of people of J&K,” she said.
This was the first major convention by the PDP in Srinagar in more than three years. The party has been in disarray due to massive defections. Most of its senior leaders and former legislators have left the party over the last four years.
Mehbooba said that the youth of Kashmir were facing a trend of unprecedented unemployment.