Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 13: Terming the problem of Jammu and Kashmir as an “incurable disease”, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti today said the BJP seemed not interested in its resolution like the Pakistani military leadership to polarize the situation for votes in the country.
Mehbooba advocated resolution of the issue in the larger interest of peace and said the abrogation of Article 370 granting special status to the region in August 2019 has not solved the problem but made the people of J&K unhappy.
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“J&K problem is like an incurable disease which needs to be treated. How is it going to be treated? When you heal the wounds of the people and open the cross-LoC routes which you (BJP Government) have closed (in 2019),” Mehbooba said, kick-starting the party’s membership drive from her party office here.
The Centre suspended the cross-LoC trade and travel in April 2019 from the two designated points at Salamabad-Uri in north Kashmir and Chakan-Da-Bagh in Poonch, citing concerns about “illegal weapons, narcotics and fake currency” being transported into India.
“Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) and (Home Minister) Amit Shah are saying that everything is fine in J&K, then why not open the (cross-border routes). Let them come here and see the difference themselves. We have dozens of medical colleges and universities,” the former Chief Minister said.
However, Mehbooba alleged that the BJP wants to keep the problem of J&K alive to strengthen its vote bank across the country.
“Just like the Pakistan military establishment wants to keep the pot boiling in Kashmir to maintain their importance, it seems the BJP also did not want to resolve the Kashmir problem. Mufti Mohammad Sayeed used to say that BJP is a nationalist party because its leader and former Prime Minister A B Vajpayee did what no other leader had done. He (Vajpayee) brought general (Pervez Musharraf) to the table to bring peace and tranquility to J&K,” the PDP leader said.
Criticising the BJP for the abrogation of Article 370, Mehbooba said the constitutional provision was like a security cover for the people of Jammu and Kashmir including Dogras, Kashmiris, Gujjars, Pahari and Sikhs as it was safeguarding the land and jobs for them.
“They have snatched this security cover and made us vulnerable. They know by removing Article 370 they have not solved the problem. Whenever there is tension, the Home Minister convenes a security review meeting in Delhi which has never happened in the past. They have a fear that the people in J&K are not happy. A volcano is getting formed and it can explode any time,” she said.
Mehbooba accused the BJP of selling Article 370 abrogation to people in the country to garner votes in the elections.
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