PATNA, Jun 24: On Saturday Mehbooba Mufti said the state she had ruled, now stripped of its special status and divided into two UT, was a ”laboratory” for the ruling BJP at the Centre.Speaking to reporters here a day after the opposition gathering, Mufti expressed concern about the country becoming “Kashmirisation” if the party won again.
“Yes, there is an attack on the concept of India. The most glaring example of this was when they repealed Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and imprisoned its leaders, including three former chief ministers, according to Mufti, who served as the state’s final CM.”J-K was a testing ground. Through the central ordinance, what we see in Delhi now actually got its start much earlier in our state. Unfortunately, very few people back then comprehended it, claims Mufti, the leader of the People’s Democratic Party.The vice-chairperson of the Gupkar Declaration, who had previously led a coalition government with the saffron party, warned that if the BJP won power again in 2024, it would violate the Constitution and try to “Kashmirisation” the entire nation. She responded, “That was never the core subject of the meeting. The controversy stems from the Aam Aadmi Party’s assertion that Congress “refused” to reject the ordinance that limits the powers of the Arvind Kejriwal government, despite several parties pressing it to do so at the meeting. Kejriwal brought up the topic of ordinance, but everyone’s attention was on the attacks on the Constitution and the Indian concept. Naturally, Congress, as a national party, has its own method for expressing its views on delicate matters after careful consideration. It is not a problem for anyone.Mufti responded, “It is true that many parties opposing to the BJP then did not comprehend the ramifications of what was taking place. AAP did vote in favour of the bill tabled before Parliament that deprived Jammu and Kashmir of its statehood and special status. But I didn’t come with any resentments.
When asked if there was agreement to reinstate Article 370 if the opposition parties unitedly defeated the BJP, Mufti replied guardedly, “The fight is to safeguard the Constitution. In addition, the Constitution contains Article 370. The Indian Constitution gave Jammu and Kashmir the unique status it currently holds. It wasn’t a gift given by Pakistan or China.
“We must recognise that Jammu and Kashmir, a region with a predominance of Muslims, consented to join India, placing their faith in the ideals of Gandhi, Nehru, and Ambedkar. The state’s assembly possessed the greatest power. The Supreme Court has ruled time and time again that Article 370 could not be repealed without a recommendation from Jammu and Kashmir’s constituent assembly. However, the BJP destroyed everything, she said.She responded, “Why do you not talk about Manipur where 200 people have killed in the current wave of ethnic strife? Why do you not talk about the long history of sectarian bloodshed in Jammu and Kashmir? Just because the BJP is in power there? When asked if the topic of the opposition’s “face” had been brought up during the meeting, Mufti responded, “Where is the need? Together, the parties that attended the meeting received more than 60% of the votes cast in the most recent Lok Sabha elections.By joking that “it must be realised that the warm reception he receives during his visits abroad is because of the respect India enjoys as a soft power which it owes to the Constitution,” she poked fun of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
When asked about worries expressed by former US President Barack Obama on India’s level of religious tolerance, she responded, “It is only natural for people to speak of these things when the news travels far and wide.”
There is discussion of India becoming a Vishwaguru, she added. We currently lead only in terms of unemployment and inflation.Mufti thanked Nitish Kumar, the chief minister of Bihar, for taking the initiative for the opposition conclave and declared that she had thoroughly enjoyed her trip and taken time off to visit locations such as Bodh Gaya, Takht Harmandir Patna Sahib, and the tomb of the last Muslim ruler of Kashmir Yousuf Shah Chak in Nalanda.
The PDP leader reminisced about his strong bond with her late father Mufti Mohammed Sayeed and the admiration she had for his tenacious stand against the BJP when she met RJD supremo Lalu Prasad at his apartment on Friday night.
