Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, July 20: In a sensational charge against her former ally, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which rules the Centre, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said today that New Delhi was using the National Investigating Agency (NIA) to win over the PDP MLAs, who were not being lured by money power and Ministerial berths.
In an interview to News 18 Network Urdu, Mehbooba cautioned New Delhi, albeit without naming anyone, that such a step will erode the faith of voters, who had braved guns to cast their votes.
“A perception has been created that a Government would be formed in Jammu and Kashmir after August 15. How this Government can be formed (without numbers)? This means the Government will be formed by breaking the PDP. That means you (New Delhi) want to repeat 1987, 1984 or 1953,” Mehbooba lamented in the interview, only a part of which was released by the TV network today.
The PDP president said some party legislators told her that they can’t leave the PDP.
“Some of the legislators say New Delhi is behind them. Some talk of money offers. When they were not motivated, they were offered Ministerial berths. And then they were threatened of the NIA raids,” Mehbooba charged.
She said she won’t say that New Delhi is directly involved but a perception is being created that the MLAs, who were not yielding to money or Ministerial berths were being told that they (New Delhi) have NIA.
The former Chief Minister said she told the New Delhi about this.
She, however, declined to name the MLAs, who were threatened of NIA raids, saying they came to her.
Saying that anyone can become the Chief Minister in Jammu and Kashmir, the PDP president said if they had problem with the PDP agenda just as they have said that they had different stand on Article 370, ceasefire and talks with Pakistan etc, it was a different issue but “we have build the PDP under very tough circumstances.”
Asserting that free and fair elections were held in the State by former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee in 2002 after making historic announcement from Red Fort and since then the percentage of voting has gone up, Mehbooba said what reply they, a reference to New Delhi, will give to the people, who had braved threats to vote for PDP, National Conference and Congress.
“People fought guns to turn up for voting. They voted for different political parties. Their faith will be eroded,” Mehbooba cautioned, saying they (again a reference towards Delhi) can form the Government for one year or one and a half year but it would dent the faith of people in democratic system.
It may be mentioned here that some PDP legislators including Imran Raza Ansari, Abid Ansari, Mohammad Abbas, Javed Beigh, Abdul Majeed Paddar and Yasir Reshi have openly revolted against the PDP and launched direct attack on Mehbooba Mufti amidst reports that the BJP could join hands with breakaway group of the PDP to form new Government in Jammu and Kashmir after holy pilgrimage of Shri Amarnath Ji. There were reports that some more MLAs could be in touch with the PDP.
Few days back, Mehbooba had threatened that Salahudins and Maliks (a reference to Syed Salahudin and Yasin Malik) would be born like 1987 if any attempt was made to break the PDP by New Delhi.
BJP had withdrawn support to Mehbooba Mufti Government on June 19, leading to imposition of Governor’s rule in Jammu and Kashmir.
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