‘Resolution of Kashmir issue imperative for peace’
Govind Sharma
JAMMU, Jan 31: Former Chief Minister and president of People’s Democratic Party Mehbooba Mufti today said that Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) and the Government led by it in the Centre have turned the beautiful State of Jammu and Kashmir into pieces and put the land and jobs on sale for outsiders.
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“Dogra ruler Maharaj Gulab Singh had created the beautiful state of J&K comprising Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh regions with people of different religions but the BJP Government in the Centre disintegrated the State into Union Territories of Ladakh and J&K, and put our land and jobs on sale for outsiders by bringing Domicile Law and other laws,” Mufti said, adding, our youth are not getting jobs but the outsiders are getting reservation in jobs. She was speaking to the media on the sidelines of a function in Poonch district, on the second day of her three-day visit to border districts of Rajouri and Poonch.
The former CM said “our country doesn’t have cordial relations with any neighbor whether it is Pakistan or China. When our relations turned bad with Pakistan, people living in villages along the International Border and Line of Control in J&K got into trouble and they have to face shelling and firing from Pakistan troops. As our relations with China deteriorated, our 20-22 Army jawans were martyred on China border in Ladakh”.
Mufti said BJP wants to win every election but has no agenda to fight the elections except their trusted and old formula of making the Hindu and Muslims fight with each other. She said that people of the country have now awakened, particularly after CAA and now ongoing farmers’ protest on Delhi borders.
The PDP president said since BJP Government voted to power again in the centre, Constitution is being thrown into winds. “Before making a law in the Parliament, those for whom it is being made are consulted but BJP Government didn’t consult the farmers before making the farm laws and as a result thousands of farmers are on roads for last two months demanding roll back of these laws,” she said.
Mehbooba said the farmers opposing the laws are stating that these are not beneficial to them but BJP Government is adamant to impose these laws on the farmers. She claimed that to defame the farmers, BJP Government under a “well planned conspiracy” placed some ‘Gunda’ elements among protesting farmers and helped them to reach Red Fort where they hoisted religious flag.
“This has not happened first time. During CAA protests in Delhi also, BJP did the same and termed the protesting people as Pakistanis and now farmers protesting peacefully on Delhi borders are being defamed by terming them Khalistanis,” she added.
The former CM said there is a big challenge for our country and for ‘Jamoohriat’ (democracy) as the saffron party for the lust of power wants to turn the country into pieces and make the Hindu & Muslim and Hindu & Sikh fight with each other by creating enmity between them.
The PDP chief also lashed on the BJP Government for ousting the Gujjars and Bakerwals from forest land. She said in J&K, Gujjars and Bakerwals are being evicted from Forest land while as thousands of kanals of land are being given to well off people on the name of industries.
Terming August 5, 2019 as the darkest day in Indian history, the former CM said that Union Government will have to restore the special status of J&K with all its safeguards. “The struggle is tough and full of challenges and I am ready to face any consequences for my resolve”, she said.
Earlier, while addressing a huge gathering of party workers, the PDP president asserted that iron fist policy of Union Government is bound to prove counterproductive and resolution of Kashmir issue is imperative for steering Jammu and Kashmir out of present turmoil and ensure lasting peace and development.
“Peace has to be restored on border, the daily rush to Kashmir graveyards has to end, the bloodshed of our youngsters has to stop and for all this resolution of Kashmir issue was essential”, Mehbooba said. She added that Kashmir issue was neither religious nor law and order problem as projected by the ruling Bhartiya Janta Party but it is completely political with its origin in a series of betrayals with people of J&K.
“The resolution of this issue has to go through the roadmap proposed and implemented by PDP during its short stints in power. There is no alternate to the Mufti Muhammad Sayeed’s vision of peace with dignity and the agenda of PDP is more relevant today than ever”, she said while advocating for the dialogue with neighbouring country and internal stakeholders especially youth.
Mehbooba said that contrary to the claims of Union Ministers in their elections rallies across the country, the situation is grim in J&K and people are facing suffocated and pushed to walls. “The democratic space has been squeezed and silence is being enforced through coercive measures. The younger generation is today more alienated and dejected than it was ever and its consequences are grave”, she said.
Expressing gratitude to the party workers across J&K who have stood firm with her despite coercive measures by the administration, she said, “The Union Government made every attempt to weaken PDP for the sole reason to end resistance to its iron fist policy in the erstwhile J&K. “Our leaders continue to languish behind bars, the workers are being harassed and even administration was being used to put pressure on PDP supporters to leave the organization or face consequences but the support of party workers has strengthened my resolve to fight for the aspirations of people”, She said.
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