Poonch/Jammu: PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday said the people, irrespective of their religion and region, have to move together and raise a united voice to seek redressal of their issues.
The former chief minister is currently on a week-long tour of Poonch and Rajouri districts to garner public support and addressed a road show in Poonch town despite pouring rain.
The border districts of Poonch and Rajouri are part of the Anantnag parliamentary constituency which is going to polls in the third phase on May 7 to decide the fate of 21 candidates, including Peoples Democratic Party Mehbooba and National Conference leader and former minister Mian Altaf.
Mufti reached Bufliaz in Poonch via Mughal road – an alternate link connecting the border districts in the Jammu region with south Kashmir’s Shopian district on April 25.
She held roadshows in Surankote and Mendhar before moving to Poonch city this morning.
“I am thankful for the warm welcome by all sections of the society including Paharis, Gujjars, Hindus and Muslims. I am the one who is uniting people and not dividing them. We all have to move together for redressal of our problems,” she said as rain forced her to cut short the address.
She said everyone is affected in case there is an issue while in times of ease, everyone gets benefited.
“This election is not for roads and electricity, there are problems like unemployment that need to be raised besides other issues, which we are facing post-2019 development,” Mufti said referring to the centre’s move to abrogate Article 370 and bifurcate Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories.
Seeking the support of the voters, the PDP leader said she is aware of the demands of the people of Poonch which include a medical college, extension of the rail link and completion of the under-construction Parnai hydro-electric project.
“I am not the chief minister to immediately accept your demand but I am not going to make any false promise. I have to face you again and in case I am elected to the parliament, I will raise your issues and will utilise the MP local area development fund to address your minor issues,” she said.
PDP president also said that any attempt to postpone the Lok Sabha election in the Anantnag-Rajouri Parliamentary seat is aimed at rigging the polls. “Any attempt to defer elections would be wrong. I believe this is being done to make the election one-sided. It may be an attempt to rig the election, as there is no concrete reason for postponing these polls,” Mufti stated.
Asked whether the PDP is receiving any support from the BJP in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections in Kashmir, the PDP president laughed and said, “I have the blessings of the NC, Congress, Kashmiris, Paharis, Hindus, Sikhs, and everyone.”
Mufti also said that the people of Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh are unhappy with the decisions made on August 5, 2019. (With inputs from PTI)
