Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Aug 30: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president, Mehbooba Mufti, today blamed the ruling National Conference-Congress Government for deteriorating the situation in the State and said her party will not allow Jammu and Kashmir to be used as a battleground between India and Pakistan.
“We will not allow Jammu and Kashmir to be used as war turf between India and Pakistan. If needed, we will take to the streets,” Mehbooba told a press conference here at Legislative Assembly Complex.
Mehbooba’s warning came in view of the ongoing escalation of tension between the India and Pakistan because of the flare up along the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB).
The PDP president hit out at Narendra Modi led BJP Government, saying that such a situation has been created in the country that whosoever talks about a dialogue process with Pakistan is being dubbed as “anti-national”.
“It is unfortunate that people are dying along the border but we have a situation here that even if we talk about a dialogue process, we are being dubbed as anti-nationals,” Mehbooba said.
Mehbooba said that today the situation in the state is similar what it was before 2002. “Whosoever talks with separatists is being labeled as anti-national. There is again a hardliner stand of New Delhi and Pakistan bashing is on,” she said, adding, “on both sides of the border, there is a talk of war going.”
The PDP leader said that the talks between India and Pakistan were cancelled due to the meeting of separatists with the Pakistan envoy in New Delhi but people must remember that during the PDP Government separatists not only met then Pakistan’s President, Parvaiz Musharraf but were also allowed to visit Pakistan as well and also met then Deputy Prime Minister, L K Advani in New Delhi.
“The responsibility lies with both State and Central Government over the tensions along borders between India and Pakistan. The coalition partners NC and Congress have failed to carry forward the political process which was initiated by PDP patron and former Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, during UPA rule? What happened to the confidence building measures and what happened to the dialogue process with separatist?”
While reacting to the remarks of Mohan Bhagwat, Mehbooba said that it is very unfortunate that due to the failures of NC and Congress a party with communal agenda like BJP is emerging a strong force in the state.
“BJP is raising all issues on which polarization can take place but it is due to the failures of NC-Congress Government that BJP is becoming stronger in the state,” she said. “BJP has a communal agenda. They talk about the abrogation of Article 370. They are trying to raise the issue of Ram Mandir again and are talking about uniform civil code,” Mebooba said.
Mehbooba further said that NC is using the issue of amnesty for stone pelters as a poll plank. “It is ironical, first they kill youth and arrest who protest the killings and now they want to present it as an election bonanza,” she said.
On the land grab issue in South Kashmir’s Marhama area in which some PDP members are allegedly involved, Mehbooba said that Government has already given a report but there is nothing in it against the PDP members.
“Government has all its agencies at the disposal and if there is anything wrong, they can take action,” she said.
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