If in my hands, I would have stopped bloodbath
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Mar 19: Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said today that India should act like an “elder brother” and extend hand of friendship to Pakistan to end hostilities on the borders in which, according to her, the people of both parts of Jammu and Kashmir have been sandwiched without their fault as these people were not responsible for partition of the country.
Asserting that during her last meeting with the Prime Minister, she had taken up only one issue and that was cessation of hostilities on the borders to let people live in peace, Mehbooba said she would again take up the same issue with the Prime Minister and try to work for 2003 like ceasefire between the two neighbours for which she gave credit to then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and then Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.
“If in my hands, I would have stopped this bloodbath. I have told Modi Ji that India is like an elder brother and Pakistan is its younger brother. We only have to understand this. Let the two countries forget animosity and extend hand of friendship to Pakistan so that the people of borders could live in peace…they could work in their fields…their children could go to the schools,” Mehbooba said while addressing the gathering at Bhimber Gali in Poonch district.
Mehbooba was not allowed to visit village Davitaa in Dhar Galoon area of Balakote sector in Poonch district, where she wanted to go to meet the people in the aftermath of the killing of five members of a family and injuries to two others in heavy mortar shelling and firing by the Pakistani troops yesterday, as the area falls with Pakistan shelling range. She then addressed the people of Davitaa and other villages at Bhimber Gali and inter-acted with them. Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh and Relief, Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Disaster Management Minister Javed Mustafa Mir accompanied the Chief Minister among others.
“Vajpayee Ji had taken the initiative and visited Lahore. Modi Ji also went to Pakistan but unfortunately, it was followed by Pathankot terror attack. But, this is not the time to look back but move forward as the people are suffering a lot,” she said, adding the talks between the two countries were must as people of both parts of Jammu and Kashmir have sandwiched between animosity of two nations just like grass is uprooted in the fight of two ‘pahalwans’ (wrestlers).
“Kashmiris are not at fault. We haven’t divided this country. We are not responsible for this (the partition of the nation). But unfortunately, we are stuck in this situation. The people of both parts of Jammu and Kashmir (a reference towards J&K and PoK) are suffering due to animosity, confrontation and partition of the two countries. I urge Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid (Khaqan Abbasi) to stop this (firing and shelling) so that the people on borders, who are guards of the borders, live in peace, carry out their usual business and their children go to the schools,” Mehbooba said.
Asserting that she understands and feels the pain of people living on the borders, she said the lives of the border people-be it RS Pura, Nowshera, Uri or Balakote, has become miserable and very tough due to constant shelling. She said the people of Jammu and Kashmir have been paying for the partition, for which they were not responsible at all.
“We don’t have basic amenities, but the Government has money to buy ammunitions. Till when do we have to bear the brunt of this,” Mehbooba said.
She said when the people are reaching Moon, “we are asking for construction of bunkers (which could become graveyard for the people). How long will this go on? The Prime Ministers of the two countries (India and Pakistan) should feel for the people living on the borders and stop this bloodshed, which will yield nothing just like four wars between the two nations didn’t achieve anything. Conciliation is the only option”.
She said the people had integrated with a big country like India for living peaceful life but they have been trapped between the enmities of two nations. “More than Pakistan, I urge Prime Minister Narendra Modi to stop this”.
Lamenting that the people of both the countries were facing problems like poverty, unemployment etc, the Chief Minister said they should jointly fight these menace instead of wasting money on ammunition, which serves no purpose at all except for causing immense miseries to the people on both sides of the borders.
In a tweet after visiting Bhimber Gali in Poonch district, Mehbooba said: “met with displaced families and victims of shelling in Poonch this afternoon. A start reminder that our future doesn’t only depend on the conflicts that take place, but more so on the solutions we offer in response to them”.
Mehbooba announced that two battalions are being raised for the border people-one each in Jammu and Kashmir regions.
The Chief Minister said she wanted to visit the border area, where five civilians were killed in Pakistan shelling yesterday but was stopped by the administration due to security reasons.
Promising rehabilitation of two surviving members of the family, she said though money and jobs can’t bring back the dead persons, the Government would take all possible measures to help the family.
Earlier, the Chief Minister handed over cheques of Rs 25 lakh as ex gratia to the next of kin of the deceased.
Deputy Chief Minister Dr. Nirmal Singh, Minister for Relief, Rehabilitation, Reconstruction & Disaster Management, Javed Mustafa Mir, legislators, Shah Muhammad Tantray, Choudhary Qamar and Yashpal Sharma accompanied the Chief Minister.
Mehbooba also handed over cheques of Rs 3 lakh each for meeting the educational expenses of the two daughters of the family who too were injured in yesterday’s shelling incident. She announced bearing of all expenses on the treatment of these two surviving family members. She assured that the brother of the deceased breadwinner of the family would be given job by the Government to sustain the family.
The Chief Minister also announced construction of 15 community bunkers in Balakote area besides stationing of one bunker vehicle for the help of the local people. Besides, she also announced strengthening of health facilities including a trauma hospital, road connectivity and other facilities in the area.
Chief Secretary, B B Vyas, Principal Secretary, Home, R K Goyal, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Rohit Kansal, Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Hemant Sharma, IGP, Jammu zone, Dr SDS Jamwal and senior officers of Army and Poonch district administration also accompanied the Chief Minister during her visit.
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