Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Feb 18: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today termed the efforts of the Government of India to paint an “all is well” picture of the situation in Jammu and Kashmir in front of the foreign envoys even as the people live in misery, devoid and robbed of their constitutional rights.
Addressing the first party workers convention of district Baramulla after August 5, 2019, Mehbooba said that the very efforts smack of ill intention when the Government instead of trying to win hearts of minds of the people of J&K, is seeking character certificate from the envoys of foreign nations through guided tours to misrepresent the situation on ground.
“Instead of winning the hearts and minds of the people of J&K, New Delhi puts all its efforts to woo foreign envoys and seek their certificate on the situation here. Whereas the fact of the matter is that having almost a million personnel on ground in J&K the Government still feels insecure,” she said.
“No matter what they try to project in these guided tours, the world knows the reality of Kashmir. Where people have been robbed of their constitutional rights, voices muzzled and hundreds put in prisons without a rhyme or reason,” she added.
“Though they want to change the goal posts, restoration of the special constitutional position of J&K and resolution of the larger political issue through dialogue and reconciliation remain fundamental demands and desires of the people. No amount of coercion can change that,” Mehbooba said.
The PDP president arrived to a rousing welcome by party workers of the district. After addressing the convention, she also met several public delegations from Baramulla, Sopore, Sangrama, Tangmarg, Pattan and Uri who raised several issues and sought PDP president’s interventions to mitigate the problems faced by them. She gave patient hearing to the delegations and assured all possible help.
The convention was also addressed by Party’s Media head and spokesperson Suhail Bukhari, District President Jalal-ud-Din Shah, senior leader Ghulam Rasool Mir, constituency in charges Shabir Ahmad Mir and Advocate Mohammad Inayat, District Development Board Members Qurat ul Bashir and Razia Hassan.