During the 24th foundation day celebration of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Srinagar, party President Mehbooba Mufti made strong statements, asserting that the PDP will not surrender before the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). She accused the BJP of seeking their surrender and raising a white flag, a demand that the PDP firmly rejects.
Mehbooba Mufti called for unity among the people of Jammu and Kashmir, emphasizing that if different communities such as Shia, Sunni, Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christians, Bodh, Gujjar, Bakerwal, and Pahari stand together, the BJP would be compelled to retreat.
She expressed concern that the BJP’s policies were attempting to turn the entire country into a situation similar to Manipur, and urged opposition parties to unite in order to counter these attempts. Mehbooba highlighted that Manipur is just a glimpse of what the BJP seeks to achieve on a national scale.
Regarding the ongoing Kashmir issue, Mehbooba asserted that no problem can be solved through the use of force or guns. She criticized the BJP’s claim of unfurling the national flag in Lal Chowk, stating that it does not signify any achievement if the Kashmiri people are absent and feeling marginalized.
Mehbooba further expressed her dismay at the continuous security raids conducted by agencies like ED, NIA, SIA SUI, and called on the judiciary to take notice of the situation and inquire into the reasons behind such actions. She questioned why Kashmiri youth were being detained and booked under the Public Safety Act (PSA).
Recalling her father, the late Union Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s efforts to initiate dialogue with separatists when he was Home Minister, she expressed regret that the offer was rejected. She emphasized that the PDP believes in a respectful settlement of the Jammu and Kashmir issue, firmly rejecting any shift in allegiance between India and Pakistan.
Mehbooba Mufti emphasized that the PDP is not a problem but rather part of the solution to address the issues in Jammu and Kashmir. She reiterated the party’s commitment to peaceful dialogue and resolution, safeguarding the identity, religion, and brotherhood of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
