PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday said there was no option other than holding dialogue with Pakistan and other stakeholders to resolve the Kashmir issue and stop the bloodshed.
Condemning the killing of a CRPF officer by militants in Pulwama, she said it has been her party’s consistent demand that bullets or grenades cannot solve an issue but only talks can.
PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday said there was no option other than holding dialogue with Pakistan and other stakeholders to resolve the Kashmir issue and stop the bloodshed.
Condemning the killing of a CRPF officer by militants in Pulwama, she said it has been her party’s consistent demand that bullets or grenades cannot solve an issue but only talks can.
“There is a need to start dialogue both ways. If we say that militancy is Pakistan-sponsored, then, for that also, talks have to be held with Pakistan like (former PM A B) Vajpayee had and militancy had decreased and infiltration was down.
“There is a need to talk to every stakeholder here (in Kashmir) and seek a solution to the issue so that a soldier from Bihar, a CRPF jawan or ASI Mushtaq Ahmad (of J-K Police) or a common man or Muslim (Muneer) who was killed in custody, (do not lose their life) and this bloodshed should stop. Dialogue is the only way and there is no other option,” Mehbooba told reporters here.
She said her party’s struggle for the resolution of the Kashmir issue would continue. “The bigger issue than the restoration of Article 370 is the resolution of Kashmir issue. (Article) 370 is a step towards that. These are on our agenda, our struggle will continue for that,” she said.
About a bunch of petitions pending before the Supreme Court challenging the Centre’s August 5, 2019 decisions of revoking Article 370 and splitting the erstwhile state into two UTs, the PDP president said let the top court do its work.
“(But), they have not been able to find time for the last three years for a hearing. So, what hopes can we have from the Supreme Court,” she added.
On a question about her sister Rubiya Sayeed identifying JKLF chief Yasin Malik as her abductor, Mehbooba said Rubiya was called as a witness in the case and she could not have said no.
“Malik has been in public domain for a long time now and it was easy for her to identify him. Thirty-two years have passed (since Rubiya was abducted) and a person forgets many things in such a time. She identified Malik, but she couldn’t identify others. It was her duty under law and she fulfilled it,” she said.
On the situation in the Kashmir Valley, the former chief minister said the Centre has adapted a policy of “force and oppression” and of might is right in J-K.
“If someone talks, he is jailed without bail. Security of politicians, who do not join them, is withdrawn. Hundreds of youth from J-K are in jails outside and their families cannot afford to travel outside to meet them. So, a lot of injustices are being done in J-K and as a result, there is an atmosphere of fear here,” she said, adding the political parties were also in doubt about what to do and how to move forward.
Mehbooba said the ruling BJP at the Centre was hesitant to conduct the assembly polls in J-K. “We do not know when the elections will take place or whether they will be conducted or not. The way the BJP brings new laws every day to disempower the people here and are trying to wipe their existence, I think they are hesitant to conduct the elections,” she said.
On the Centre’s promise of the restoration of J-K’s statehood, she said the BJP indulges in ‘jhumlabazi’.
“They never keep their promises and instead shift focus from those promises by creating divisions between Hindus and Muslims. There is so much of contradiction across the country, there is tension between two religions. The biggest reason is that the BJP has not been able to provide good governance, employment, or infrastructure. So, to divert attention, they create divisions,” the PDP chief said.
Asked about the situation in Pakistan, she said while there is an economic crisis in that country, the institutions there like the judiciary and the media were working independently.
“The BJP has subverted every institution and organisation. They are working on the instructions of the BJP. They (BJP) have taken the whole country for a ride. So, I think, the situation here is no better than our neighbouring country,” she said.
(With PTI inputs)