Srinagar: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday announced that her party would hold peaceful protests at district headquarters across Jammu and Kashmir on August 5 to press for the restoration of Article 370 and “resolution of the Kashmir issue”.
She also apologised for her remarks made at Jantar Mantar that appeared to be justifying the use of force against Kashmiris, saying she meant to say that security forces have an “excuse” in the valley due to militancy.
“All our people, who are sitting here, will hold peaceful protests in their districts on August 5 for the restoration of Article 370, 35A, and peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue,” Mehbooba Mufti said at a press conference at the party headquarters here on the occasion of the PDP’s 27th foundation day.
Mehbooba Mufti said that August 5 was the day “everything was stripped from us.”
She said the party, on its foundation day, has passed a resolution including on “resolution of Kashmir issue”.
“The party hereby resolves to reaffirm its belief in ‘peace with dignity’ as the only sustainable path towards lasting peace, through dialogue, reconciliation, confidence-building and meaningful democratic engagement among all stakeholders,” the resolution read.
She said PDP is committed to “peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue”, alongside the restoration of Article 370, Article 35A, “our identity, and statehood”.
“PDP remains committed to this cause. We will continue our struggle, and God willing, we will achieve it,” she said.
The PDP president called for the release of political prisoners and undertrials, and withdrawal of the Army from areas where militancy has reduced.
“In areas where militancy has reduced, as the Government of India itself frequently claims, we urge the central government to relocate the army back to barracks. This is not a new demand; we have voiced it previously and are reiterating it today,” she said.
She said that “contractors from outside are brought in for mining in J&K and water from the UT is used to generate electricity which is distributed across the country”. “We demand that the central government either compensate us or transfer at least two power projects to us so that our local hardships can be mitigated,” she added.
She also reiterated the demand for separate administrative divisions for Pir Panjal and the Chenab Valley to ensure balanced development, and said the party is committed to enabling the dignified return of Kashmiri Pandits to the Valley.
Meanwhile, Mufti apologised for her remarks made at Jantar Mantar that appeared to be justifying the use of force against Kashmiris, saying she meant to say that security forces have an “excuse” in the valley due to militancy.
“If the remarks have hurt the people, I apologise,” Mufti said addressing a press conference here on the occasion of the party’s 27th foundation day.
Mufti visited Jantar Mantar on July 23 to extend support to the Cockroach Janata Party-led protest against alleged examination irregularities.
While opposing police action against student protesters in Delhi, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief appeared to defend the use of pellet guns in the valley in the past and faced backlash over it.
The former J&K chief minister on Tuesday clarified that she meant to say the words “bahana banta hai” — that security forces get an excuse to use force against Kashmiris as there is militancy in the valley, but what “it slipped out” as she was “talking to a lot of people”.
“I want to be very clear about what I said. My words were a slip-up. Since I was speaking to a lot of people after my speech at Jantar Mantar, I could not express what I actually meant. My comments were taken out of context,” Mufti said.
She said she ‘misspoke’ while giving a hurried byte to a journalist, inadvertently saying, “There is militancy in Kashmir” instead of referring to security forces using militancy as an excuse.
“Therefore, I sincerely apologize for my slip of the tongue. I deeply regret that my inadvertent mistake hurt my people. Sometimes they do get upset with me because they see me as their own, have great respect for me, and place their trust in me,” she added.
Mufti also clarified that the video of her remarks was “real, not fake or AI-generated”. She said her remarks were given a different meaning, and sought an apology from the people.
“If my incomplete statement caused pain or hurt to my people who consider me one of their own and hold high expectations of me, I sincerely apologise for it,” she added.
She claimed that whenever her party speaks up, “not only the people in Delhi” but political parties in J&K also “feel threatened”.
“Attempts are made to damage my credibility because I haven’t accumulated wealth, built mansions, or indulged in luxuries. Instead, I built a genuine connection and enjoy credibility among the people,” she said.
The PDP president said Chief Minister Omar Abdullah went to Jantar Mantar to seek statehood and should have also stood there for the youth of J&K.
“Omar went to Jantar Mantar for statehood. What difference would it have made if he stood there for two minutes for the youth of J&K. I went there, but I did not go on my own.
“The children from Jammu and Kashmir invited me over the phone because Kashmiri students outside often face hardship in colleges, universities and hostels and they thought Mehbooba will go there and it will perhaps help them. I went there, and said that today, the entire India has become Jammu and Kashmir,” she said.
She accused the National Conference (NC) of blowing her remarks out of proportion. “But, I am not bothered.”
“The NC is presenting it in a way as if I signed on the death warrants of Afzal Guru and Maqbool Bhat, or as if I had said ‘Kashmiriyon ko goli maro’ (open fire on Kashmiris),” the PDP chief said.
Guru, a convict in the 2001 Parliament attack, was hanged inside Tihar Jail on February 9, 2013, while Bhat, the JKLF founder, was hanged on February 11 in 1984.
