Srinagar: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) said on Sunday banned Jamaat-e-Islami’s (JeI) willingness to contest the Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir is a good step, but the ban on the organisation should be revoked.
“It is a good thing. I want the Government of India to revoke ban on the JeI because if you are not banning communal organisations which are spreading venom in this country, I do not want to name them, those who take out rallies, pelt stones on mosques, lynch Muslims, then why is there a ban on the JeI which has contributed a lot in the education sector, helped people in floods of 2014 and COVID?” Mufti told reporters here.
According to some media reports, former leaders of the JeI are mulling to contest the Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir as independent candidates.
The PDP chief said her party would contest the Assembly polls alone.
“We have almost announced candidates for the constituencies. The Congress and the NC are yet to announce, but we have already announced,” she said.
On the issue of Article 370, Mufti said, “The PDP’s agenda is clear that the resolution of J&K should come in a manner that the people here live with dignity, hold their heads high. The abrogation of Article 370 has further complicated the issue and whenever the resolution of the issue of J&K takes place, then it would start from (restoration of) Article 370,” she said.
She claimed the people in north Kashmir voted for “plebiscite sentiment” in the Lok Sabha polls by electing incarcerated Sheikh Abdul Rashid alias Engineer Rashid.
Rashid, a two-time MLA from the erstwhile seat of Langate in north Kashmir’s Kupwara, supported a plebiscite for Jammu and Kashmir.
“This is the same BJP whose prime minister A B Vajpayee had acknowledged that Kashmir is an issue which needs to be addressed. He talked to Pakistan as well the separatist leaders here. It means there is an issue here.
“Article 370 was a bridge between J&K and the country. Now, they have broken that bridge and they came to see its impact in the Parliament elections when the people of north Kashmir voted for the plebiscite sentiment which they (Centre) had thought was perhaps dead,” she said.
Mufti said her party is of the view that the “resolution of Kashmir issue” has to be found within the framework of the Constitution of the country.
Meanwhile, JKNC Vice President, Omar Abdullah today said that he would welcome Jamaat-e-Islami if it decides to contest polls.
To a question about the reports of the banned Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) leaders mulling to contest the polls independently, Abdullah in Ganderbal said it was a welcome step.
“This is the beauty of democracy. I read in the media that JeI wanted the ban on it to be revoked so that they could contest the polls. Unfortunately, the election bugle was sounded and the ban could not be revoked.
“Today, there are reports that they will contest as independent candidates. Bismillah. We wanted them to contest on their own symbol in JeI’s name, but let them contest even as independents. Let them plunge into the field, bring their manifesto and their promises. Then it is up to the people to decide whom they would like to vote for,” Abdullah added.
