Mehbooba Mufti, the former chief minister of Jammu & Kashmir, lashed out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Union government for “vandalising the Constitution”, and making Jammu and Kashmir into a “political experimental laboratory”, and averred never to ally with the BJP again.
She admitted that the alliance between her People’s Democratic Party and the BJP was her father’s idea.
“Allying with the BJP was my father’s (Mufti Mohammad Sayeed) decision for a larger cause, and I honoured it. That’s that and (it) doesn’t go beyond it,” Mufti told HT in an interview.
She also indicated that she had misgivings about the alliance.
“My father had a political vision not only for J&K but also for the country. He put everything at stake, including his credibility, while aligning with the BJP, only with the intention to secure what we already had — our special status — and to find a peaceful and dignified solution to the Kashmir problem… So even though I have never been a great fan of the BJP, I could not walk away from his decision,” the former CM said.
Accusing the BJP of viewing everything through the prism of “petty electoral gains”, she said the party “lacks the vision and resolve to take decisions that will heal and build the country. Instead, it has chosen to take India down a dark and regressive path steeped in division, bigotry and hatred for minorities. Unfortunately, J&K became a political experimental laboratory”.
{{/usCountry}}Accusing the BJP of viewing everything through the prism of “petty electoral gains”, she said the party “lacks the vision and resolve to take decisions that will heal and build the country. Instead, it has chosen to take India down a dark and regressive path steeped in division, bigotry and hatred for minorities. Unfortunately, J&K became a political experimental laboratory”.
{{/usCountry}}The alliance between the two parties broke in June 2018. J&K was under President’s Rule from then till August 2019, when Parliament passed laws and resolutions scrapping the special status of the region and bifurcating it into two Union territories. Mufti herself was in detention for close to 14 months between August 5, 2019, and October 13, 2020.
Several members of the Union government asked for Mufti to be charged with sedition, when, after her release, she said she would not recognise the national flag until the J&K flag was restored. Asked if a case of sedition was made out against her, Mufti said, “Because J&K’s constitution and flag was snatched unconstitutionally, I said I will wait for it to be restored and hold both the flags together. Let’s not forget both the Indian and J&K flag derived their legitimacy from the Indian constitution. If that amounts to sedition then so be it.”
During her detention, Mufti said, she did consider quitting politics altogether. But “the thought of giving up on everything that my father held so dear would be a betrayal of sorts….” The BJP rejected Mufti’s allegations and said opposing the government’s “brave and historic” decisions exposed the “petty politics” of the Opposition. “Leaders like Mehbooba Mufti have been rejected by the citizenry of Kashmir. Her divisive & anti India statements like she won’t hold the tricolour till Article 370 is restored, runs against the ethos and integrity of the Indian democracy,” said Gaurav Bhatia, BJP spokesperson.