Mehbooba Mufti denies BJP's charges, says PDP never wavered on alliance
Srinagar: Former Chief Minister and Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) president, Mehbooba Mufti, on Sunday reacted sharply to BJP chief Amit Shah's claim that it was lack of development of Jammu and Ladakh regions that compelled the saffron party to pull out of the alliance in Jammu and Kashmir.
“Allegations of discrimination against Jammu & Ladakh have no basis in reality. Yes, the Valley has been in turmoil for a long time & the floods of 2014 were a setback, therefore needed focused attention. But that does not mean that there was any less development elsewhere,” she tweeted on Sunday.
Mufti in a series of tweets said that results were on ground to see and asked the BJP that if anything it should review was the performance of its own ministers most of whom belonged to Jammu region.
“Results on the ground for all to see. If anything they should review the performance of their own ministers, who largely represented the Jammu region if there were any such concerns, none among them either at state or central level talked about it during the last 3 years,” she tweeted.
Results on the ground for all to see. If anything they should review the performance of their own ministers, who largely represented the Jammu region if there were any such concerns, none among them either at state or central level talked about it during the last 3 years. 4/6
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) June 24, 2018
She said that many other false charges have been levelled against her but sought to remind Shah that her party’s commitment to ‘Agenda of the Alliance’, the pact reached out between the two sides in 2015, never wavered.
Mehbooba said it was sad to see the saffron party disown its own initiative and label it a "soft approach".
Many false charges levelled against us by our former allies. Our commitment to the Agenda of Alliance, co-authored by Ram Madhav & endorsed by senior leaders like Rajnath Ji never wavered. It is sad to see them disown their own initiative & label it a 'soft approach.' 1/6
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) June 24, 2018
Talking about the state government's handling of the sensational Kathua rape-murder case, she said it was her duty to not handover the case to the CBI and issue orders not to harass Gujjar and Bakarwal communities in order to provide a sense of security to them.
Not handing over the Rasana rape & murder case to CBI,getting the pro rapist ministers removed & also issuing orders not to harass the Gujjar & Bakarwal community in the guise of anti encroachment drives were my duties as CM to provide a sense of security to both communities. 5/6
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) June 24, 2018
Mufti also tweeted about her stand on Article 370 and holding of talks with Pakistan and separatists which is believed to have contributed to the souring of relationship between the PDP and the BJP.
Status quo on Article 370, dialogue with Pakistan & Hurriyat were a part of AoA. Encouraging dialogue, withdrawing cases against stonepelters & the unilateral ceasefire were much needed measures to restore confidence on the ground. This was recognized & endorsed by BJP. 2/6
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) June 24, 2018
The former chief minister also hit out at the BJP over their senior leader and MLA Chowdhary Lal Singh's 'threat' to Kashmiri journalists and asked what was the party going to do about him.
After expressing concern about freedom of expression in J&K following Shujaat's murder, their MLA, notorious & even punished for his role in the aftermath of the unfortunate Kathua case still threatens journalists belonging to the valley,so what are they going to do about him?6/6
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) June 24, 2018
Singh's threat to Kashmiri journalists drew flak from media as well as political parties. Singh had warned journalists to draw the line or face the fate like journalist Shujaat Bukhari.
