Accusing Delimitation Commission of carrying out a flawed exercise, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday raised questions on its integrity and called it a “BJP commission”
Accusing the Delimitation panel of carrying out a flawed exercise, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president and former chief minister, Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday again raised questions on its integrity and called it a “BJP commission”.
She said that “the PDP is an eyesore for the BJP because we oppose their arm-twisting tactics and revocation of Article 370.”
Responding to media queries in Ramban on Saturday on the last day of her seven-day visit, she said, “We have already rejected Delimitation Commission. It is not a Delimitation Commission but a BJP commission. The BJP via the Delimitation panel has badly ruined J&K just to consolidate its vote bank. They not only do divisive politics but also caused regional fights as well in J&K.”
She claimed that the panel has conducted a flawed exercise while redrawing assembly and Lok Sabha constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir.
“We reject it totally… we don’t believe in it and we haven’t participated in it,” she added. When asked whether the PAGD will jointly contest assembly elections, she said that the matter hasn’t been discussed yet. She said that she had come to Ramban to meet the people, especially the youth. “People are in distress and facing immense hardships, especially youth, who are disappointed. I have come here to meet the people,” she said. “Elections have not been announced as yet and I regularly visit Ramban to meet the people. We have not decided our poll plank as yet,” she responded to another query.
In ‘The Kashmir Files’ movie, she said that in Pak-sponsored terrorism, members from all the communities were killed. “We all know how Muslims were also killed. It is not that only one community was targeted. All of us were affected. We have no objections to the film but we are opposed to the BJP for promoting it. Had they tried to rehabilitate Pandits, their condition would have been different today,” she said.
To another query about BJP accusing two families (Abdullahs and Muftis) of looting the state, she said, “Mufti Sahib remained CM for three years and then for 10 months and I remained CM for two years. So, we ruled the state for six years. People knew Mufti Sahib and they know me as well…they know what we did and what more could have been done (in six years)”.
“Since we challenge BJP and raise our voice telling them that they committed a blunder by revoking Article 370, it is obvious that they would accuse us, but god willing we will take everything back with interest… that’s why they fear us,” she added.
The PDP chief also said that let BJP talk to the youth of Kashmir. “But will they talk through gun… the way deaths are taking place every day and many being put in jails. This is not the way to hold dialogue. You have to reach out to them and talk to them with dignity and honor. No arm twisting will work. And, what about Pakistan? Vajpayee and Modi went to Pakistan but why do they feel bad when talking about holding dialogue with Pakistan,” she said.
