
Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Mar 27: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president, Mehbooba Mufti today said while the PDP is going into Lok Sabha with an agenda primarily for raising the issue of Kashmir and the problems faced by the people, but it will also try to provide voice to the aspirations of Muslims across the country.
Addressing a well-attended workers meeting of Kulgam and Noorabad Assembly constituencies in Kulgam, Mehbooba said the position of Jammu and Kashmir as the only Muslim majority State of the country is unique and National Conference’s failure in rising above ministerial positions for its members and personal interests has deprived even Indian Muslims a credible leadership.
Mehbooba said the PDP will seek an implementable Kashmir policy at the national level and keeping that in view the present Parliamentary elections could prove a turning point in asserting our democratic right. “While doing so, we will also try to fill the representation gap for the 20 crore Muslims of the country, who have unfortunately been pushed back in the race for development,” she said.
The PDP chief said the NC focused only on personal luxury and positions of power and never stood up for the rights either of the people who voted them or the Muslims of rest of the country.
She said NC continued to remain part of the NDA even after the Gujarat massacre and didn’t sacrifice the Minister of State’s job, which Omar Abdullah was holding in the Vajpayee Government. “Not only this, Farooq Abdullah gave a clean chit to Modi even before the courts did so and lately claimed to have seen Allah in his eyes,” she said.
Mehbooba said NC must share the failure of the UPA Government to solve the problems of the Muslims of the country. “NC never raised their voice against any communal riot, as representatives of the only Muslims majority State; it also failed to press the passage of Communal Riots Bill,” said Mehbooba, adding similarly, they never pressed the UPA for implementation of Sachar Committee report, which had identified the problems facing the Muslim community and listed the biases and discrimination against them.