Mehbooba Mufti targets 3 generations of Abdullahs, says NC created distrust between Kashmir and rest of India
SRINAGAR: Days after National Conference (NC) president Dr Farooq Abdullah made a controversial statement hailing Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts on Kashmir , Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Monday used the party’s foundation day to launch an attack on the NC leadership, targeting Dr Abdullah, his father Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah , and accusing them of creating distrust between Kashmir and the rest of the country.
“If there is any party that has betrayed Kashmiris, it is the NC. As long as it remains in power, there will be no peace in Jammu and Kashmir,” she said, urging party members to make efforts to regain power in J&K.
“NC’s policies, dating back to the days of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, have created a wedge between Kashmir and the rest of the country. Unlike them, my father, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, tried everything to bridge this gap,” Mehbooba said while addressing party workers at Sher-i-Kashmir Park on Residency Road in Srinagar.
She said that if Kashmiris had suffered over the years, it was because of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, who repeatedly changed his political positions, from supporting Kashmir’s accession to India to raising slogans for a plebiscite and Pakistan.
She said Dr Farooq Abdullah was following in his father’s footsteps and had recently portrayed Pakistan as the “saviour” of Kashmiris by claiming that its diplomatic efforts were protecting them.
“Thus, conveyed to New Delhi that Kashmiris are with Pakistan and they should be oppressed, arrested and their passports seized,” she said. “Yesterday, Dr Abdullah was in Delhi, where he said he was committed to India and India alone. Here in Kashmir, he says one thing and in New Delhi, he says another,” she added.
On October 24, while addressing NC workers in north Kashmir’s Baramulla, Dr Abdullah claimed that the people of Jammu and Kashmir still have an “identity” because Pakistan is raising the Kashmir issue at various international forums.
“They (the Indian state) are silent today due to pressure from the world. Our neighbour (Pakistan) goes everywhere and says that the Kashmir issue has not been resolved. They are protecting us. Otherwise, their (India's) intentions are not right,” Dr Abdullah had said.
Mehbooba also targeted Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, accusing him of blaming the PDP for his failures.
“What did we do? It is they (NC) which talked about India first, then plebiscite, then Pakistan and then they were responsible for widespread election rigging in 1987, plunging Kashmir into destruction,” she said, accusing the chief minister of failing to generate employment for unemployed people in the Union Territory.
“The NC’s forte has been to defame Kashmiris since 1947,” she said.
She accused the Centre of splintering her party after the abrogation of Article 370. “But we are not among those who change political positions,” she said, adding that the government of India must understand that the people of Jammu and Kashmir are the crown of India.
“If you trample upon this crown, you too will also suffer,” she said.
“This is the land of rishis and peers (Sufi saints). If you do wrong to this land, you will not remain safe,” she added. “How long will you govern us through suspicion? You must trust us the way (former prime minister) Atal Bihari Vajpayee trusted us,” she said, pitching for dialogue with Pakistan.
She asked the Centre to stop experimenting in Kashmir, saying the situation would not be resolved by jailing people under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the Public Safety Act (PSA), or by terminating government employees.
She emphasised the need to initiate talks and open roads to China and other places. Kashmiris, she said, would not be governed by force indefinitely.
“For seven years you have oppressed Kashmiris. This oppression will eventually explode one day,” she said, referring to the security measures imposed in J&K after the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019. “Then don’t tell us you didn’t warn,” she added.
“If there is any party that has betrayed Kashmiris, it is the NC. As long as it remains in power, there will be no peace in Jammu and Kashmir,” she said, urging party members to make efforts to regain power in J&K.
“NC’s policies, dating back to the days of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, have created a wedge between Kashmir and the rest of the country. Unlike them, my father, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, tried everything to bridge this gap,” Mehbooba said while addressing party workers at Sher-i-Kashmir Park on Residency Road in Srinagar.
She said that if Kashmiris had suffered over the years, it was because of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, who repeatedly changed his political positions, from supporting Kashmir’s accession to India to raising slogans for a plebiscite and Pakistan.
She said Dr Farooq Abdullah was following in his father’s footsteps and had recently portrayed Pakistan as the “saviour” of Kashmiris by claiming that its diplomatic efforts were protecting them.
“Thus, conveyed to New Delhi that Kashmiris are with Pakistan and they should be oppressed, arrested and their passports seized,” she said. “Yesterday, Dr Abdullah was in Delhi, where he said he was committed to India and India alone. Here in Kashmir, he says one thing and in New Delhi, he says another,” she added.
On October 24, while addressing NC workers in north Kashmir’s Baramulla, Dr Abdullah claimed that the people of Jammu and Kashmir still have an “identity” because Pakistan is raising the Kashmir issue at various international forums.
“They (the Indian state) are silent today due to pressure from the world. Our neighbour (Pakistan) goes everywhere and says that the Kashmir issue has not been resolved. They are protecting us. Otherwise, their (India's) intentions are not right,” Dr Abdullah had said.
Mehbooba also targeted Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, accusing him of blaming the PDP for his failures.
“What did we do? It is they (NC) which talked about India first, then plebiscite, then Pakistan and then they were responsible for widespread election rigging in 1987, plunging Kashmir into destruction,” she said, accusing the chief minister of failing to generate employment for unemployed people in the Union Territory.
“The NC’s forte has been to defame Kashmiris since 1947,” she said.
She accused the Centre of splintering her party after the abrogation of Article 370. “But we are not among those who change political positions,” she said, adding that the government of India must understand that the people of Jammu and Kashmir are the crown of India.
“If you trample upon this crown, you too will also suffer,” she said.
“This is the land of rishis and peers (Sufi saints). If you do wrong to this land, you will not remain safe,” she added. “How long will you govern us through suspicion? You must trust us the way (former prime minister) Atal Bihari Vajpayee trusted us,” she said, pitching for dialogue with Pakistan.
She asked the Centre to stop experimenting in Kashmir, saying the situation would not be resolved by jailing people under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and the Public Safety Act (PSA), or by terminating government employees.
She emphasised the need to initiate talks and open roads to China and other places. Kashmiris, she said, would not be governed by force indefinitely.
“For seven years you have oppressed Kashmiris. This oppression will eventually explode one day,” she said, referring to the security measures imposed in J&K after the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019. “Then don’t tell us you didn’t warn,” she added.
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