Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Mar 21: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) President and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today said that the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) created new parties by enticing and forcing its leaders away so as to suppress the voice of the people.
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While speaking to reporters at Anantnag, Mufti cautioned against devastating implications of the BJP moves that would undermine the trust and faith of the people in J&K in the electoral democracy that has so painstakingly been restored over the years.
This she said on a recent statement by the Union Home Minister Amit Shah wherein he had said “it does not matter whether the BJP will get the mandate in Kashmir, but the three ‘Parivarvadi parties’ including People’s Democratic Party – who did not let democracy flourish in the region should be wiped out”.
The PDP president underlined a systematic campaign of suppression that has made life miserable for the people of J&K. She lamented the loss of rights and liberties post-August 5, 2019, and said that the BJP, viewing the PDP as a staunch critic of its anti-people policies, had deliberately weakened the party and targeted her personally.
She emphasized the importance of the electoral process as a means for the people to resist and express their grievances against the BJP’s misdeeds ranging from stripping the people of J&K of their rights and liberties, plundering their resources and muzzling their voices.
“In hope that they would deter me from voicing the people’s concerns, they not only tried to weaken our party but also targeted me personally. They went all out by summoning me, my brother and my aged mother by the ED and even evicting me from my residence in the harsh winters. But they failed,” she said.
“Having failed miserably, now it seems they could go to any extent, including undermining the faith of the people of J&K in the electoral democratic process that has been restored through painstaking efforts over decades,” she added.
“They want to see to it that PDP as the people’s voice is not allowed to reach the Parliament of this country and for which they don’t care even about the national interest, the sole aim being the elimination of our party”, she added.
“What they don’t seem to realise the dangers that such an intent is fraught with. Do we want to undo the efforts that restored the people’s faith in J&K in the electoral process?” She asked.
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