Mehbooba Mufti blames National Conference for Centre-J&K mistrust
The PDP chief accused the National Conference of creating uncertainty through shifting stances on Kashmir during a Srinagar convention.
People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Monday accused the National Conference (NC) of being responsible for the mistrust between the Centre and Jammu and Kashmir. Addressing a party workers' convention at Sher-e-Kashmir Park in Srinagar, the former chief minister said the NC created a sense of uncertainty through its changing positions.
According to The Indian Express, Mufti stated that the NC founder, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, signed the accession to India 79 years ago despite the state being Muslim-majority. She alleged that the party later altered its narrative by demanding a plebiscite and then, in 1975, accepted the chief minister's chair.
Mufti claimed Sheikh Abdullah traded the prime minister's chair for that of chief minister out of a desire for power, which she said buried conversations around autonomy. She also noted that the NC's shifting stands planted doubt in the minds of Indian leaders regarding Kashmiris.
Without naming NC president Farooq Abdullah, Mufti referred to his recent comments regarding Pakistan. She claimed such statements serve as a signal to Delhi that Kashmiris are with Pakistan.
The PDP chief urged the Centre to resolve issues through dialogue and by reopening traditional trade routes to Kashgar, Khotan, and Yarkand. She argued that the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), the Public Safety Act (PSA), and the dismissal of employees cannot resolve the situation.