Jammu, Feb 13: PDP President and the former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti Thursday reiterated that J&K “problem needed a resolution to end the miseries of its people for once and all” and healing their (people’s) persisting wounds would be a major step forward.
She was addressing the meeting of PDP leaders and workers here at the party office where she launched a “mega membership drive” in Jammu.
“In the wake of the persisting vicious cycle of violence, J&K, for the entire country, has become a festering sore, which needs immediate treatment. A resolution to the J&K problem would come with the end of violence, opening of cross border roads and healing wounds of J&K people by addressing their concerns and issues in earnest. This could not be possible without the support of Jammu people. People from across J&K need to come together for the cause (resolution) as we all have a shared problem and destiny,” she exhorted.
In a vitriolic attack on BJP, she alleged, “It seemed like Pakistan army, BJP too has developed permanent interest in keeping alive the J&K problem, persisting violence claiming lives of people and leading to harassment of others – just for its (BJP’s) vote-bank politics.”
“If they claim that the security situation has improved. I dared the Union Home Minister Amit Shahji to open cross border routes so that the people from across the border could see for themselves the significant difference between us, who are enjoying the fruits of democracy and development and them, who are underdeveloped and suppressed. What is there for us to hide? But they (BJP) would not do so because they would lose their vote-bank then,” she claimed.
At this point, she invoked the former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, who, she said, like a statesman did what no other politician could do.
“My father would applaud Vajpayee Sahib because with his rare political acumen and bold leadership, he brought a person like General Parvez Musharraf to the dialogue table and achieved peace and prosperity for J&K people. For him (Vajpayee), J&K and its people formed the pivot of his vision, the fulcrum of which was humanity and compassion,” Mehbooba said.
“Even my party colleagues question me when I use expressions like “J&K as a problem requiring resolution.” My these expressions can be better understood in the light of recent incidents of Akhnoor, Billawar and Sopore,” she said.
Elaborating it further, Mehbooba said, “In Akhnoor, two army soldiers, including Captain, lost their lives in an IED explosion. Both, including one from Samba, were scheduled to get married in April this year and before that this tragedy struck them. In Billawar, a youth was forced to commit suicide (allegedly) due to Police torture. In Kathua, a reign of terror has been created and people are being harassed in the name of fighting militancy. Then in Sopore, a truck driver was shot dead,” she said.
“So these incidents are a pointer to the existence of a “problem”, which J&K has been confronting for long. Two days ago, the Union Home Minister conducted back to back 3 security review meetings on J&K. Yesterday and even today, LG Sahib reviewed security in two high-level meetings, one in Srinagar and another in Jammu. They conducted meetings because a problem exists there. Had it not been so, these meetings would have been conducted on unemployment, drug menace, rising crimes and not on “security”, which is a major concern here in J&K,” she pointed out.
PDP president asserted that the problem in J&K could not be resolved till the people from Kashmir, Jammu and Ladakh were not on the same page and united.
“The people of all three regions share the same problems that their lands and other rights are being encroached by the people, big industrialists from outside. Mufti Sahib (PDP patron) used to say that the biggest failure of Kashmiri leadership had been that it could not take Jammu along. What did that mean? It means that resolution to the J&K problem will come only if the people from all regions are united for their cause. That’s why Mufti Sahib, as the Chief Minister, focused on equitable development. When he talked about opening of Uri-Muzaffarabad, Poonch-Rawlakote roads, he also talked about Jammu-Sialkot, Nowshera-Jhangar roads,” she recalled.
Former Chief Minister stated that her father was a visionary.
“Mufti Sahib, my father, had a fore-sight that has always amazed me. Perhaps that’s why, given his political acumen, he could foresee the problems Jammu confronting in the present scenario wherein outsiders are taking away what belongs to them (Jammu people) viz., land, contracts, liquor shops, minor minerals etc. Following the operation of the train (to Kashmir), Jammu’s economy will further suffer. He (Mufti) would advocate for opening of cross-border roads for promotion of economy and direct boost to industries of Jammu and Kashmir. Our Jammu Basmati could have been exported there (across the border),” she said.
“Keep one thing in mind. Jammu never existed in plan of things for them (Centre and mainly BJP leadership). Kashmir remains a focus for all, given the nature of the problem, about which they remain in denial mode. That’s why big conventions, main national and international functions, delegations visits are organised there in Kashmir and not in Jammu,” she said.
Criticising the current ruling administration, mainly central leadership, Mehbooba alleged that the abrogation of Article 370, contrary to their assertions, did not solve any problem. “It (Art 370 abrogation) actually added to our woes as with it we lost our protective cover which safeguarded our land, jobs and identity. It was a safety cover not just for Kashmir or Kashmiris. Jammu and its people too lost it,” she claimed.
After Article 370 abrogation, they (BJP) were resorting to “Mandir-Masjid” issue and raking up “Waqf Board” politics to keep their vote-bank intact.
Former Chief Minister, while referring to the Billawar situation, recalled the Kathua incident during her tenure. “Our Jammu and Kashmir Police is full of valorous people. During the Kathua episode, I did not hand over the case to the CBI but I trusted our JKP, which did a wonderful job and took the case to its logical end by putting them (guilty) behind bars. There may be some black sheep, who need to be identified and punished,” she said.
Mehbooba reiterated that it was Jammu and its people who suffered the most after abrogation of Article 370. “I feel your pain because I have a special place for Jammu in my heart. So did my father. Reason being Jammu elected my father from R S Pura and reposed trust in him when people in Kashmir, blinded by haughty claims of “Raishumari (plebiscite) and “Azadi” by NC and others, would see him as “Hindustani, who could not be trusted.” But Mufti Sahib remained unrelenting. My party and I are following suit, despite all odds, we are fighting for people’s cause and justice,” she said.
“Special objective behind launching the mega membership drive from Jammu is to remove general grouse among the party workers of the province that all significant activities are initiated from Kashmir only,” she said.
Intriguingly, she wound up her address at an optimistic note, in her unique manner, as she said, “You need not to lose hope with the setbacks the party has suffered. Keep helping people in need, as Firdous (Tak) said. Remember, in 1996, NC won, in 2002, PDP came to power; in 2008, NC returned, in 2014, PDP resumed power and now in 2024, NC is back to power so the coming time belongs to PDP, rest assured. When that time will come – after one year, two years or four years….I cannot say but you (PDP workers) continue to work relentlessly.”
