Srinagar: J&K Peoples Conference senior Vice President and former minister Abdul Gani Vakil said that those who gave the BJP an opportunity to strengthen its base in Jammu & Kashmir and become part of the government for the first time in the history of J&K should stop hoodwinking the people of Kashmir by giving provocative speeches only when elections are around the corner in the other states of the country.
Vakil addressing a convention of party workers in Amargarh, Sopore, Paizalpora, and Yarbugh in Rafiabad, said that on one hand, PDP played a pivotal role in giving BJP an entry into governance in J&K, and on the other hand she is now wailing and trying to give the impression that she is the only leader who can compete with the BJP.
“We saw the same rhetoric from the PDP in the lead-up to the Assembly elections in 2014 when the PDP sought votes to keep the BJP away from power. However, the reality was that the PDP and BJP had decided to form an alliance pre-polls. The same formula is being repeated today while making provocative statements against the BJP,” he said.
Vakil further added that whenever election campaigning is going on in other states of the country, the PDP leaves no stone unturned in giving statements that help the BJP in solidifying its base in those states.
“This is not new. When Bihar went to polls, Mufti said that there is nobody left in Kashmir to uphold the Indian flag. When UP was going to polls, she made repetitive statements that helped the BJP in those elections. Now when Gujarat and Himachal are set to go to polls, Mehboob’s Mufti is again making statements which will help the BJP justify its actions and policies in J&K,” he added.
Vakil further said that the two families have always been hand in glove with the centre in disempowering Kashmiris and hollowing out constitutional guarantees given to J&K in 1947.
“First Sheikh Abdullah ratified multiple erosions in our special status in lieu of power in 1975. He also promised the people to bring everything back with interest but eventually betrayed the people when he accepted the post of CM with help of Congress’s support. The same rhetoric by two families led to the taking away of Article 370 and downgrading our state into a UT. But seems like they have still not learned any lessons and are doing everything possible to further hurt the interests of the people of J&K,” he added.
