BJP creating fear psychosis to win elections: Mehbooba
Says JeI has every right to propagate its ideology
Srinagar, Apr 15: PDP president Mehbooba Mufti Monday accused the BJP of creating a fear psychosis under the guise of national security to prepare for another Balakot-like strike in desperation to win Lok Sabha elections.
“In its desperation to win this election, seems like misappropriation of our jawans sacrifices & polarising the electorate hasn’t helped BJP. Now they are creating fear psychosis by using national security as a guise to prepare ground for another Balakot-like strike,” Mehbooba, who was an ally of BJP in Jammu and Kashmir from 2015 to 2018, said in a tweet.
She was reacting to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s reference to Pulwama attack and the consequent airstrike inside Pakistani territory by Indian Air Force.
“When they made their second mistake in Pulwama, we entered their home and conducted airstrike. Udhar walon ko bhi samajh mein aa gaya hai ki agar teesri galti ki toh lene ke dene pad jaenge (They also know that if they commit another mistake, they will be in real trouble),” the Prime Minister said at a rally at Moradabad in UP.
In another tweet the former chief minister, while reacting to Modi’s speech at Kathua rally, said Kashmir belonged to Kashmiris and was not anybody’s heirloom to inherit.
“Kashmir belongs to Kashmiris. Not anybody’s heirloom to inherit. Self seeking politics is intentionally blurring lines between self & country, exploiting armed forces to grab power, fuelling communal politics & dividing the country in the name of religion. Kuch yaad aaya (do you remember anything)?” she said.
At Kathua, Modi accused NC and PDP leadership of causing destruction in Jammu and Kashmir and said the key for the state’s brighter future lay in removing these two families from power.
“I want to tell those who have occupied the seat of power for the last three generations, including Abdullahs and Muftis, that it is ‘Modi jo na bikta hai, na darta hai aur na jukta hai’ (Modi is not for sale, is not afraid and not ready to bow).
“Bring all your family members on field and abuse Modi as much you want but you will not be able to disintegrate the country,” he added.
Meanwhile, addressing workers’ convention in south Kashmir’s Biejbehra and Pahalgam areas, Mehbooba said as Modi-led government has failed on every front with masses perturbed, joblessness spiraling and economy witnessing a dreadful dip.
She said that the BJP tried its best to polarise the situation and instigate communal riots all across. “When nothing worked, it enacted a drama called Balakote strike. During the very first phase of the ongoing elections, BJP has foreseen its defeat and in order to garner votes and hoodwink the electorate there are apprehensions that Modi led government is preparing to launch Balakote type one more attack against Pakistan,” she said.
According to her, the ongoing antagonistic approach towards Pakistan and unleashing terror upon the unarmed and innocent people of Kashmir is nothing but a vote-bank politics of the BJP as the party is witnessing rout all across the country.
Reacting to the statements of West Benegal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal in which apprehensions were raised over the authenticity of the Pulwama suicide attack, Mehbooba demanded a thorough enquiry to ascertain the facts.
“A thorough probe should be conducted so that the truth behind Pulwama suicide attack comes to fore and questions raised by senior political voices are answered sans any hindrance,” Mehbooba said.
The former Chief Minister also slammed the BJP leader and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley’s statement about Jamaat-e-Islami-PDP bonhomie, stating that in a democratic set up, the socio-political and religious organization – Jamaat-e- Islami- has every right to propagate its ideology and function without any hindrance.
“As chief minister I was under tremendous pressure to ban Jamaat in the state. However, I refused to sign on a dotted line due to which BJP was compelled to run away from the coalition,” Mehbooba said and added that the PDP will continue its fight so that ban on JeI is revoked and the organisation is allowed to work freely once again.
She said after the 2014 polls, the PDP didn’t get a clear mandate and out of the compulsion had to join hands with the BJP. “The BJP was so desperate for power that it gave in writing to PDP that it will not fiddle with Jammu and Kashmir’s special position and Article 370. The BJP also agreed to hold talks with Pakistan, with Hurriyat, release political prisoners, revoke AFSPA and return power projects from the NHPC,” said Mehbooba.
Mufti’s carcade stoned in hometown
Srinagar, Apr 15: A few youngsters Monday hurled stones on PDP president Mehbooba Mufti’s carcade while she was electioneering in south Kashmir’s Khiram area, leaving an SSG man injured, officials said here.
Mufti was returning after offering prayers at the Khiram shrine, which is revered by the locals.
A Special Services Guard (SSG), a force carved out of Jammu and Kashmir Police to protect the serving and former chief ministers, was injured, the officials said.
A spare vehicle in her motorcade was also damaged, they said.
Police present at the spot chased the youngsters and later detained some of them for questioning. Others in the entourage, including the PDP president, escaped unhurt.
Traditionally a bastion of the PDP, Khiram is located 77 km from Srinagar and is surrounded on three sides by mountains, separating it from Sallar in the east and Tral and Shikargah in west and north, respectively.
Mufti is contesting the Lok Sabha election from the Anantnag seat, which she had won in 2014. The constituency is spread over the four districts of Anantnag, Kulgam, Pulwama and Shopian and it is going to the polls in three phases from April 29 to May 06.
