Mufti’s alliance with BJP was misunderstood; it was for the sake of J&K: Mehbooba

Jammu, Dec 21: PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday said her father, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, was misunderstood by the people for his forming an alliance government with the BJP in 2015.

She said Mufti’s decision to join hands with the saffron party was taken in the larger interest of Jammu and Kashmir.

Mehbooba, also a former chief minister, was speaking at her party’s outreach programme, Gal Baat, to hear people’s grievances, particularly after the 2019 abrogation of Article 370 that gave special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.

She said unchecked mining, outsourcing of local businesses, rising unemployment, and drug abuse have increased public hardship in the region as she accused the National Conference government of failing to make any difference.

“Mufti Sahib ((PDP founder) respected the mandate of the people of Jammu who gave 28 assembly seats to BJP (in 2014 elections). This was not an easy decision. Where is the BJP and where is the PDP? And Mufti said, ‘What answer will I give to the people of Jammu?’ Mehbooba said.

On the Agenda of Alliance of BJP-PDP coalition that collapsed in June 2018, she said, “It was made to safeguard Jammu and Kashmir and to ensure stability across the state.” She also said that the BJP agreed to Article 370.

“Unfortunately, Mufti passed away, otherwise the situation in Jammu and Kashmir would have been different. He thought of Jammu and Kashmir as a mini-India and Article 370 was meant to preserve it.

“Now tell me, where did Jammu and Kashmir stand? I thought there would be some control (over mining activity) after the formation of a popular government, but I don’t think there is any control,” the PDP leader said.

She said her father gave a “big sacrifice” for the people of Jammu, but they failed to understand it. “Neither the Kashmiri people nor the Jammu people understand this.” Meanwhile, Mehbooba emphasised the importance of preserving local languages like Dogri and Kashmiri.

She said the people in Kashmir cannot talk freely and intolerance in the country is on the rise.

“This intolerance is not only towards Muslims. It is a general intolerance. If a person asks a question, there is a problem,” she said. (PTI)