Srinagar: PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday asked the Centre to take a lesson out of Afghanistan where the Taliban seized power and made the US flee, and urged the government to hold dialogue in Jammu and Kashmir and return its special status which was revoked in 2019.
Referring to the Taliban seizing power in Afghanistan, the former chief minister warned the Centre “to not test us” and asked the government to “mend its ways, understand the situation, and see what is happening in your neighbourhood.”
“America, a superpower, had to pack their bags and flee. You (the Centre) still have the opportunity to start a dialogue process in J&K like (former PM) Vajpayee had and mend your mistake of snatching the J&K’s identity illegally and unconstitutionally and splitting of J&K, otherwise it will be too late,” she said, referring to the decisions of August 05, 2019.
Addressing her party workers in Kulgam district of south Kashmir, Mehbooba also appealed to the youth not to pick up arms, saying the issue cannot be resolved with guns or stones.
“The Government of India should return what it has snatched from us and address the Kashmir issue according to the wishes and aspirations of the people of J&K,” she said.
Citing the example of Afghanistan, the PDP president said the issues cannot be resolved by guns or stones.
“The Taliban are now controlling Afghanistan and they made the US to flee. But, right now, they are saying the gun will not do. The whole world is watching them, how they will behave, whether they will do the same strictness or behave well with the people,” she said.
Mehbooba said there was a lesson for the people of J&K in the situation in Afghanistan.
“I request the youth to resist by staying alive and do not lose your lives. When you lose your lives, everything is over. The people at the other end do not understand that the youth of Kashmir should not sacrifice their lives. They are not bothered. So, I appeal to all the youngsters not to pick up guns or stones. If you cannot speak with your tongue, then remember the wounds in your heart,” she said.
She said America talked to the Taliban and the previous governments in New Delhi, including the BJP government led by A B Vajpayee, also talked to militants in J&K and “a time will come when they will bend on their knees and ask us what we want”.
“The US talked to the Taliban, India talked to Pakistan and a ceasefire happened. There is no other option but to talk. Whatever is happening behind the doors, God willing, a day will come and they will have to talk to everyone – be it the people of J&K or the people across as Kashmir issue is alive,” she said.
Saying that India is an idea of various religions, diversities and ethnicities, Mehbooba said the Congress party saved the country and kept it together and accused the BJP of trying to divide it.
“What has been happening since the last five-seven years, it seems the BJP is trying to split this country and divide the people in the name of religion,” she said.
Referring to Jammu and Kashmir’s accession with the Union of India, the PDP president said had the BJP been in power then, J&K might not have joined the country.
“The accession did not take place because of the BJP. It happened when Jawaharlal Nehru was in power, who was secular and democratic and who believed in brotherhood. He assured the people of J&K, which was a Muslim majority, of a special status to accede to a Hindu-majority India.
“The Congress had joined J&K with India on these conditions. Had the BJP been there, then I do not think J&K would have been a part of this country,” she said.
On the criticism that she did not talk about Article 370 at a virtual meet of 19 opposition parties called by Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Friday, Mehbooba said she talked about the issue and noted that it was the duty of the Congress to safeguard the people of J&K and see their situation and understand difficulties.
