Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Dec 25: People’s Democratic Party president and former Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti, today lauded the late Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his anniversary, praising his efforts to build a relationship with the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
Speaking on Vajpayee’s legacy, Mufti said that he was among the few Prime Ministers, alongside Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi, who sought to connect with the people of the region. “He did not just talk but acted,” she said. She highlighted Vajpayee’s initiatives, including his historic bus trip to Pakistan, resumption of talks after the Kargil conflict and dialogue following the Parliament attack.
She emphasized the confidence-building measures taken during Vajpayee’s tenure, particularly during the time her father, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, was Chief Minister. “We opened the doors of the jails, and leaders like Gilani, Yasin Malik and Shabbir Shah were released. Vajpayee supported that policy and did not oppose it,” she said.
Mufti also credited Vajpayee for initiating key measures, such as engaging with the Hurriyat and Pakistan, opening cross-border roads, and fostering dialogue aimed at resolving the Kashmir issue. “The people of Jammu and Kashmir must be missing him,” she said. She said Mufti Sayeed’s alliance with BJP was based on the hope that Vajpayee’s policies would continue under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Expressing disappointment over the current state of affairs, Mehbooba underscored that Vajpayee’s approach brought hope to the region. “Perhaps BJP’s leadership at that time believed in carrying forward the process started by Vajpayee to resolve Kashmir’s problems,” she said, adding that his humanitarian approach is deeply missed, not just in Jammu and Kashmir but across the country.
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