News Analysis India

Tag: Mehbooba Mufti

  • Jammu and Kashmir at crossroads today where people don’t have any right, says Mehbooba

    By PTI

    JAMMU: Lambasting the Lieutenant Governor administration for alleged public discontent, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on Monday said Jammu and Kashmir today stand at crossroads where people have neither any right nor any forum to project their grievances.

    She also hit out at the BJP for allegedly weaponising the pain and sufferings of the Kashmiri Pandits to garner support for its political objectives.

    “While the public anger is simmering, the LG administration is busy showcasing its phony achievements in order to justify what ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has done with Jammu and Kashmir,” Mehbooba said while meeting various deputations which called on her here on the second day of her tour to Jammu.

    The former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said the administration has only compounded the issues of the general masses with its “red tapism, inertia and public discontent”.

    “As a result of this, Jammu and Kashmir today stands at crossroads where citizens have neither any right nor a forum to project their grievances,” she said.

    Talking to a deputation of Kashmiri migrant employees, Mehbooba said while the BJP and its run administration were weaponising the pain and sufferings of the community to garner support for its political objectives, it ignores their issues and grievances.

    “It’s unfortunate that the community faced one of the worst times after migration during the last few years right under the rule of those who criminalised their sufferings and politicised their pain in furtherance of their own communal agenda,” she said.

    Mehbooba said the administration has miserably failed to instil a sense of security among the Kashmiri migrant community.

    She said the issues of Kashmiri Pandits need a companionate and humanitarian approach. Instead, an arm-twisting approach is being adopted to muzzle their voice, she alleged.

    The deputation while highlighting their grievances and said the administration has selectively transferred some employees from Kashmir while others have been left at the mercy of god.

    “Most of the families are without ration for several months and the new relief cases are pending approval. The employees are protesting seeking transfer to safer places while the administration has withheld salaries of migrant employees in order to pressure them to return,” a delegation member said.

    Responding to other deputations, Mehbooba said, “Corruption has touched new heights, while the competent and honest officers are pushed to walls to ensure that the dictates from party headquarters of BJP are followed without any query or justification.

    “Even the local governance institutions, which the LG administration is showcasing its one of the greatest achievements, have been made reductant,” she added.

    Employees, unemployed youths, traders, industrialists, transporters, farmers and every section of the society is facing the brunt of political blunder committed by the ruling dispensation just to satisfy its political ego, the PDP chief said.

    “We have to collectively fight back and struggle for the restoration of our identity and dignity,” she said.

    A deputation of Small Scale and Micro Industries Unit holders apprised the PDP chief about the administration’s claims to bring industrial revolution in Jammu and Kashmir.

    But the reality is that most of the industries were either being closed or seized by the banks due to non-payment of dues, it said.

    JAMMU: Lambasting the Lieutenant Governor administration for alleged public discontent, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on Monday said Jammu and Kashmir today stand at crossroads where people have neither any right nor any forum to project their grievances.

    She also hit out at the BJP for allegedly weaponising the pain and sufferings of the Kashmiri Pandits to garner support for its political objectives.

    “While the public anger is simmering, the LG administration is busy showcasing its phony achievements in order to justify what ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has done with Jammu and Kashmir,” Mehbooba said while meeting various deputations which called on her here on the second day of her tour to Jammu.

    The former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said the administration has only compounded the issues of the general masses with its “red tapism, inertia and public discontent”.

    “As a result of this, Jammu and Kashmir today stands at crossroads where citizens have neither any right nor a forum to project their grievances,” she said.

    Talking to a deputation of Kashmiri migrant employees, Mehbooba said while the BJP and its run administration were weaponising the pain and sufferings of the community to garner support for its political objectives, it ignores their issues and grievances.

    “It’s unfortunate that the community faced one of the worst times after migration during the last few years right under the rule of those who criminalised their sufferings and politicised their pain in furtherance of their own communal agenda,” she said.

    Mehbooba said the administration has miserably failed to instil a sense of security among the Kashmiri migrant community.

    She said the issues of Kashmiri Pandits need a companionate and humanitarian approach. Instead, an arm-twisting approach is being adopted to muzzle their voice, she alleged.

    The deputation while highlighting their grievances and said the administration has selectively transferred some employees from Kashmir while others have been left at the mercy of god.

    “Most of the families are without ration for several months and the new relief cases are pending approval. The employees are protesting seeking transfer to safer places while the administration has withheld salaries of migrant employees in order to pressure them to return,” a delegation member said.

    Responding to other deputations, Mehbooba said, “Corruption has touched new heights, while the competent and honest officers are pushed to walls to ensure that the dictates from party headquarters of BJP are followed without any query or justification.

    “Even the local governance institutions, which the LG administration is showcasing its one of the greatest achievements, have been made reductant,” she added.

    Employees, unemployed youths, traders, industrialists, transporters, farmers and every section of the society is facing the brunt of political blunder committed by the ruling dispensation just to satisfy its political ego, the PDP chief said.

    “We have to collectively fight back and struggle for the restoration of our identity and dignity,” she said.

    A deputation of Small Scale and Micro Industries Unit holders apprised the PDP chief about the administration’s claims to bring industrial revolution in Jammu and Kashmir.

    But the reality is that most of the industries were either being closed or seized by the banks due to non-payment of dues, it said.

  • Mehbooba Mufti’s new Twitter display pic shows tricolour, old J&K flag

    By PTI

    SRINAGAR: PDP president Mehbooba Mufti Wednesday put a new Twitter display picture that shows her late father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the national flag and the now-derecognised flag of Jammu and Kashmir.

    In his Mann ki Baat radio broadcast this Sunday, PM Modi had said the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ is turning into a mass movement and urged people to put ‘tiranga’ as the profile picture of their social media accounts between August 2 and 15.

    Putting the new display picture, Mehbooba said the flag of Jammu and Kashmir might have been “snatched”, but it cannot be erased from the collective conscience of the people.

    The photograph was taken at a rally addressed by the prime minister during his Kashmir visit in November 2015 when Mufti Sayeed was chief minister of the erstwhile state.

    “Changed my dp since a flag is a matter of joy & pride. For us our state flag was irreversibly linked to the Indian flag. It was snatched thus breaking away the link. You may have robbed us of our flag but cant erase it from our collective conscience,” Mehbooba tweeted.

    Changed my dp since a flag is a matter of joy & pride.For us our state flag was irreversibly linked to the Indian flag. It was snatched thus breaking away the link. You may have robbed us of our flag but cant erase it from our collective conscience. pic.twitter.com/HZxQROn3fK
    — Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) August 3, 2022
    The Twitter post by the former chief minister also comes two days ahead of the third anniversary of revocation of Article 370 of the Constitution that gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

    With the revocation of the special status, the Jammu and Kashmir flag was also derecognised.

    SRINAGAR: PDP president Mehbooba Mufti Wednesday put a new Twitter display picture that shows her late father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the national flag and the now-derecognised flag of Jammu and Kashmir.

    In his Mann ki Baat radio broadcast this Sunday, PM Modi had said the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ is turning into a mass movement and urged people to put ‘tiranga’ as the profile picture of their social media accounts between August 2 and 15.

    Putting the new display picture, Mehbooba said the flag of Jammu and Kashmir might have been “snatched”, but it cannot be erased from the collective conscience of the people.

    The photograph was taken at a rally addressed by the prime minister during his Kashmir visit in November 2015 when Mufti Sayeed was chief minister of the erstwhile state.

    “Changed my dp since a flag is a matter of joy & pride. For us our state flag was irreversibly linked to the Indian flag. It was snatched thus breaking away the link. You may have robbed us of our flag but cant erase it from our collective conscience,” Mehbooba tweeted.

    Changed my dp since a flag is a matter of joy & pride.For us our state flag was irreversibly linked to the Indian flag. It was snatched thus breaking away the link. You may have robbed us of our flag but cant erase it from our collective conscience. pic.twitter.com/HZxQROn3fK
    — Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) August 3, 2022
    The Twitter post by the former chief minister also comes two days ahead of the third anniversary of revocation of Article 370 of the Constitution that gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

    With the revocation of the special status, the Jammu and Kashmir flag was also derecognised.

  • Credit for bringing down MVA government in Maharashtra goes to ED and CBI: Mehbooba

    “Today, Shinde has 50 to 60 people with him and the (MVA) government falls there (in Maharashtra),” she added.

  • Mehbooba condemns al-Qaeda threat

    By PTI

    SRINAGAR: PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday condemned the terrorist organisation al-Qaeda’s threat to India over the remarks against Prophet Mohammad by now-suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma, and said Muslims cannot tolerate any disrespect to the Prophet.

    “I condemn threats of every sort, be it by al-Qaeda or some other organisation. But it is true that there is anger in the whole Muslim community because of the comments by the BJP spokesperson. They (Muslims) are in pain as we can tolerate anything but we cannot tolerate any inappropriate remarks against the Prophet,” Mehbooba told reporters here.

    The former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said as far as the al-Qaeda threat was concerned, “I fear that it will give another excuse to the BJP to push its narrative that the Hindus are in danger. So, it should be condemned.” She said the BJP should have taken action against its spokesperson earlier by respecting the sentiments of the people of the country.

    “But they (BJP) became conscious only after the Muslim countries condemned it,” she said. “Indians working outside are respected a lot by the people there as they think they are from a secular country, where every religion is respected. So, when such signals go out from our country, it lowers the prestige of the country,” she said.

    Asked about a lesser number of devotees at the annual Kheer Bhawani festival, Mehbooba said it was because of the fear among the Kashmiri Pandit community after the recent killings.

    “At a time when there is an atmosphere of fear, it is expected that a lesser number of people will visit the temple. But I am hopeful that the situation will not remain like this and God willing, they will come in thousands next year like they used to before,” she said. She alleged that the Centre was not allowing normal political activities in Kashmir Valley.

    Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal staged a protest in favour of Kashmir Pandits and against their killings in the national capital, but the political parties in the valley were not allowed to do so.

    Asked about National Conference president Farooq Abdullah’s remarks that the party will contest the election from Surankote on its own, Mehbooba said the people of Jammu and Kashmir want the Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration — of which both the NC and the PDP are a part — to fight unitedly.

    “What Farooq sahib has said, I cannot comment on that. But I believe that the people of J-K want that we all stand united as we are facing a huge challenge. Elections or otherwise, if we are not united, then there are people who are on the verge of erasing our existence. So it is important that we are united,” she said.

  • PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti says Centre fears unity of PAGD alliance

    By PTI

    SRINAGAR: PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday said it is no rocket science to understand why NC president Farooq Abdullah was summoned by the Enforcement Directorate as she said the Centre “fears” the unity of leaders of the PAGD alliance.

    “Is there a need to say anything? Do you need rocket science to understand why Farooq sahib has been summoned? The Government of India fears the Gupkar Alliance. They fear that if we come together, their sinister plan about Jammu and Kashmir will fail,” she told reporters here when asked to comment on the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) summon to Abdullah, who is also the president of People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD).

    Mehbooba noted that political parties in Jammu and Kashmir will have to find their space in such a situation to defeat “their nefarious designs”.

    “We have to work in the space there is. We tried many a times to protest against the excesses, but you know, my (residence) gates are locked. I wanted to visit the home of a Kashmiri Pandit who was injured, but I am not allowed. We will have to find our space in this situation and defeat their nefarious designs. They (Centre) will not allow any other space to us. They fear our political activities. They did not leave anything to defame us,” she said.

    The PDP leader underlined the need to get united and “resist” as there was “a danger that they will try to erase our existence”.

    “The orders that are coming from Delhi after August 5, 2019, it seems our jobs and lands resources are for sale. So, unless we get united and resist, there is a danger that they will try to erase our existence,” she said.

    She added that the Centre was making tall claims across the world that everything is fine in Jammu and Kashmir after the revocation of Article 370, but the ground situation has not improved.

    “You cover someone’s mouth with tape and shackle them, then say he is not shouting. How will he shout? The way the blood is being shed in Kashmir — be it Rahul Bhat, Saifullah Qadri, Shoaib Ganie or Amreen Bhat — such incidents are taking place on a daily basis,” she said.

    The former chief minister also claimed that the BJP’s policies were pushing the Kashmiri youth towards militancy.

    “Everyday, youth are leaving their homes because of the atmosphere the BJP has created and are joining militancy because of the anger. Then they are killed after a few days. So, everywhere the blood of Kashmiris is being spilled — be it Muslims, Hindus or Sikhs.

    “Perhaps, it is because of this bloodshed, the BJP is getting votes in the rest of the country by telling the people what they are doing in Kashmir. But, this policy will not work and they will have to work on the healing touch policy of (former PM) (A B) Vajpayee and (former chief minister) Mufti (Mohammad Sayeed),” she said.

    Mehbooba said her government had withdrawn FIRs against many youth, but they are now being arrested and sent to outside jails.

    “The parents of these youth are poor and cannot go to meet them there. When we (PAGD leaders) met the L-G (Manoj Sinha) over the issue of Kashmiri Pandits, I told him that his policy in J-K that if someone says something, he is arrested…I told him that if he does not change this policy, then the situation in J-K will not improve,” she said.

    About a resolution passed by the Jamiat-Ulama-Hind against the uniform civil code, she said it was good that the Muslims in the country were getting united.

    “They have put forward their view point. The situation in the country is worsening. Questions are being raised on mosques, they are talking about Taj Mahal, Qutub Minar. In such a situation, if our people, the Muslims, are getting united, it is a good thing as there should be discussions,” she said.

    Mehbooba also said courts should take suo motto notice of the ‘derogatory’ remarks by BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma on Prophet Muhammad.

  • Iltija Mufti testing political waters? PDP chief’s daughter to hold interactive session with people

    By PTI

    SRINAGAR: PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti’s daughter Iltija Mufti will hold a fortnightly interactive session with people, the party has announced, a move which many viewed as an exercise before she takes the political plunge.

    The party on Friday posted a two-minute-video on its Twitter handle with the hashtag “#AapKiBaatIltijaKeSaat”.

    “An air of despondency & despair has seeped through Kashmir. Everyday new blows are inflicted on us & it’s important we #SpeakUp. The purpose of these fortnightly videos is to throw light on issues & decisions that affect our lives. #AapKiBaatIltijaKeSaat,” the party said in the tweet.

    In the video, Iltija, 34, says Jammu and Kashmir is passing through its worst phase in history.

    “An administration, a dispensation that is destitute of any vision has pushed our state into chaos. All the secular and democratic foundational values of the country are being trampled upon and this is happening at a time when preparations are underway to turn the secular and democratic India into a Hindu rashtra,” she said.

    Its “disastrous consequences” on the country’s only Muslim-majority state cacanot be overlooked, she said.

    “Along with our basic rights, our freedom of expression has been throttled. An atmosphere of silence and fear has been created in J-K and the price of speaking up truth has to be borne by the people now,” she said.

    “In such terrible circumstances, it is imperative to speak up against the injustices and cruelty inflicted upon us. The aim of this video is to start a conversation amongst us because even after stripping us of our rights and dignity, our voice cannot be snatched from us. J-K is filled with an air of despondency and helplessness,” she said.

    She said, “I hope that by speaking to you through this medium we are able to kick-start a discussion and shed light on the miseries that we all are facing simply because of our identity.”

    Iltija came into limelight in the aftermath of the Centre’s August 5, 2019 decisions to revoke Jammu and Kashmir special status and bifurcate the state into Union territories.

    Several top and middle-rung mainstream politicians, including Mehbooba Mufti, were jailed and Iltija had taken over the Twitter handle of her mother during her 20-month incarceration.

    She also appeared in the national and international TV media during those months, portraying herself as the voice of the party, especially her mother.

    PDP insiders said this is the kick-start of a much-speculated political plunge by Iltija, who is known for her fierce views.

    “With (Mehbooba’s father and party founder) Mufti (Mohammad) Sayeed no more, (Mehbooba’s brother) Tassaduq (Hussain) out of public sight and many senior leaders of the PDP having deserted Mehbooba, the entry of Iltija into Jammu and Kashmir politics ahead of likely assembly polls is a morale booster for the PDP president,” a party leader said.

    He said while so far she has maintained that her views were personal, the posting of the video on the party’s official Twitter handle has left little to imagination.

  • BJP pushing country towards another division: Mehbooba

    She said Jammu has been home to all religious faiths and beliefs and the city has accepted everyone from across Jammu and Kashmir, irrespective of their faith.

  • Centre ‘weaponising’ pain of Kashmiri Pandits by promoting ‘Kashmir Files’, says Mehbooba

    By PTI

    SRINAGAR: The aggressive manner in which the Centre is promoting ‘The Kashmir Files’ film and ‘weaponising’ the pain of Kashmiri Pandits makes its ‘ill intention’ obvious, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said on Wednesday.

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief said instead of healing old wounds and creating a conducive atmosphere between the two communities, the Centre is ‘deliberately tearing them apart’.

    ‘The manner in which GOI (government of India) is aggressively promoting Kashmir Files & is weaponising pain of Kashmiri Pandits makes their ill intention obvious,’ Mehbooba wrote on Twitter.

    Written and directed by Vivek Agnihotri and produced by Zee Studios, the film depicts the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the valley in the 1990s. It stars Anupam Kher, Darshan Kumar, Mithun Chakraborty and Pallavi Joshi among others.

  • Vote only for PAGD allies in the next J-K Assembly polls: PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti

    By PTI

    JAMMU: PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday urged people to vote for PAGD allies in the next J&K assembly polls to defeat the BJP and its associates, which, she said, were hampering the case of restoration of the Union Territory’s special status in the apex court.

    She also reiterated her call for a peaceful struggle for the restoration of “snatched rights”, saying the August 5, 2019 development was like an earthquake and its aftershocks are still continuing with “this government taking away something on a daily basis from us”.

    The PAGD is a coalition of six parties, including the National Conference, PDP and CPI(M), seeking restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status under the revoked Article 370 of the Constitution.

    The article was revoked by the Narendra Modi government on August 5, 2019, a decision which has been challenged by many parties in the Supreme court.

    “Whether we stand united or fight separately, you have to vote those who do not betray your vote in the assembly. I request you to take this message to every nook and corner that we have to choose among the PAGD constituents and vote for their candidates,” Mehbooba said addressing a party function at Surankote in Poonch district.

    She said attempts are on to divide the people and the interim report of the delimitation commission was part of the process to pit Hindus versus Muslims, Muslims versus Muslims, Gujjars Vs Pahari- speaking people and one versus other.

    These attempts are aimed at getting enough seats for the BJP and its people so that they can form the next government in J&K and put a stamp on the August 5, 2019 decision to weaken “our case in the Supreme Court”.

    “The talk of an election is premature as the time has not come yet but remember my words. If you do not like PDP (candidate), vote for any other candidate among the PAGD constituent and likewise if the other candidate is not of your liking, vote for the PDP candidate,” she said.

    “You have to make a choice among them only and not vote independents or any other candidate,” the former chief minister said.

    She said her party or National Conference have not lost anything alone but it is the people of the entire J&K who have been deprived of their rights and they have to fight for the restoration of their “snatched rights”.

    Mehbooba said August 5, 2019 was not just a tragedy for the people of Jammu and Kashmir but it struck them like an earthquake.

    “An earthquake ends within a few minutes but we are still being hit by aftershocks. They are still snatching from us on a daily basis to finish our identity, culture and traditions. They are forcibly taking away land from the people,” she said.

    She said the land which was under the occupation of the people for over a century is being taken away to give it to big industrialists in both Jammu and Kashmir regions and the way the government is working, the day is not far when “our youths will not get a foothold to stand up”.

    Mehbooba also criticized the government for the dismissal of state employees on the grounds of supporting militancy and massive raids.

    “They are doing everything to break the backbone of the people of J&K. The unemployment is growing with each passing day and deliberate attempts are being made to make people poorer so that they are silenced and are not able to stand up,” she said.

    She said they want “dead souls” as it suits their narrative of a peaceful atmosphere in J&K which is, in fact, “the silence of a graveyard”.

    “The BJP is behaving like the East India Company and the only difference is that they are from this country. They are selling the national resources at a big loss,” she said, adding “people have to raise their voice in a peaceful manner as Mahatma Gandhi did against the British rule”.

    Referring to the delimitation commission draft proposal to merge Poonch and Rajouri districts of Jammu with Anantnag Lok Sabha seat in Kashmir, Mehbooba said instead of giving a separate seat to the Rajouri and Poonch districts, they merged it with Anantnag Lok Sabha seat to sow the seeds of hatred among the people of Kashmir and this region.

    “The PDP founder Mufti Mohammad Sayeed built Mughal Road to bring the two districts of Rajouri and Poonch closer to Shopian district of Kashmir. They want to create a wedge as both sides would like to have their own Parliament member to represent them and want us to fight each other. There is no other reason,” she said.

    She alleged that they have no pain for the region or Chenab valley.

    “They wanted to have only one face, one dress and one food. The situation could be worse than this if we do not stand up and fight their onslaught as graveyard type of silence suits them,” she said.

    Defending her father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s decision to form the previous government with the BJP, Mehbooba said, “It was done to protect Article 370, state flag and constitution under a strategy.

    It took Mufti three months to stitch an alliance with the BJP and the government was formed on our terms.

    “After Mufti’s death, we functioned as per our agenda which was not of their taste as they found us an obstacle in their original plan and the rest is history,” she said.

  • Won’t let in leaders who left party and now willing to return: PDP chief

    The function was organised by the PDP to welcome dozens of new entrants including supporters of Bushan Lal Dogra, a former minister who rejoined the PDP last month.