ibn sultan
Srinagar, Apr 17 : Peoples Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti on Thursday made a sharp and layered attack on both the BJP-led central government and the erstwhile Hurriyat leadership, stating that had separatist leaders not “closed their doors” in 2016 when efforts for dialogue were initiated, the trajectory of Kashmir could have been different today.
“In 2016, when I brought leaders like Arun Jaitley and the Home Minister to the table for talks, Hurriyat closed the doors.
That was the time for dialogue. Had they not slammed the doors, the story of Kashmir would be something else today,” Mehbooba said while addressing party convention at srinagar.
Taking aim at the BJP, she said that while 2016 saw youth on the streets with stones or guns, today it is the government riding roughshod over civil liberties.
“Hurriyat rode horses of stones and guns in 2016, you are now riding the horses of UAPA, PSA, NIA, passport cancellations and job terminations. This is just another form of oppression,” she said.
Mehbooba called on the government to take meaningful steps if it truly wanted to win hearts in Jammu and Kashmir. “Free the youth you have jailed without charges. Stop
terminating employees.
Restore passports. Don’t make peace a slogan—back it with action,” she said.
Mehbooba also said that Kashmiris still carry regret over the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits. She warned the BJP not to repeat that history with Muslims elsewhere in the country. “You have a chance. Don’t make Indian Muslims feel what Pandits felt decades ago. Don’t build fear into their lives,” she said.
Ending her speech, Mehbooba called Jammu and Kashmir the crown of India. “It must remain a symbol of dignity, not repression. If you disagree with this, say it clearly. But don’t pretend to embrace Kashmir while closing its doors,” she added.
