E-Paper
After hurting special identify of J&K people, govt now eyeing their land: Mehbooba Mufti
PDP president and former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti said the “arm-twisting” measures such as denying basic rights to people and enforcing political ideology are being done in the Valley in the name of “ensuring peace.”
Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Thursday said the Jammu and Kashmir administration is after the land and property of the people of the union territory, having already hurt their identity and dignity.
Addressing villagers in RS Pura in Jammu, Mufti said the “theatrics of peace” being played out by the BJP-led Centre was proving to be counterproductive in the Valley.
“Arm-twisting measures with heavy military presence on the ground, denying fundamental rights to people and enforcing a political ideology are what is being done in the name of ensuring peace in Jammu and Kashmir,” the former chief minister was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
She said one cannot shut the mouth of an ailing patient “in pain” and declare the person “stable", adding that coercive methods can win the BJP time but will not guarantee harmony in the Valley.
“Reconciliation and dialogue are the only way to establish lasting peace,” Mufti said.
Speaking about the Gharana Wetland that has attained global recognition for being home to several types of migratory birds, the PDP leader said that while the Centre's developmental plans regarding it can boost tourist influx in the Valley, the J&K administration cannot “turn a blind eye” to the issue of local residents losing a “huge portion of [their] land” for the same.
Mufti said the Valley administration must allocate alternative lands to the protesting villagers and offer jobs.
According to reports, the Centre is planning to expedite the land acquisition process for the Gharana Wetland Conservation Reserve on the outskirts of the Valley that would not only aid in conserving the wetland but also promote eco-tourism and become known as a popular tourist destination.
