Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Monday apologised for her remarks made in 2016 about local youths.
In July 2016, while addressing a press conference with Union Home minister Rajnath Singh in Srinagar, when asked about the killings of youths in firing by security forces, Mehbooba Mufti had blamed ‘miscreants’ for inciting children to violence and justified the killing of protesters by security forces
“Most of the children killed (by security forces) died in retaliation for attacking army camps. The children didn’t go to the army camps to buy milk or toffees,” she had said.
Not only separatists but mainstream politicians had used the statement against Mehbooba on social media and political rallies, terming the remark as insensitive.
However, addressing party workers on the third death anniversary of her father, Mufti Muhammad Sayeed, at Dara Shikoh park in south Kashmir’s Bijbhera town, the former CM on Monday said, “ Those remarks were aimed to show concern towards the lives of young boys who were put on front line by miscreants close to the police stations and army camps.”
Mufti said the youths who were injured or killed by the police and army used to be part of her rallies whenever she used to visit South Kashmir.
“As a mother, I used to feel the pain and made those remarks in anger. Often mothers get angry with their children and I was angry on how those young boys were put on forefront,” she said.
{{/usCountry}}“As a mother, I used to feel the pain and made those remarks in anger. Often mothers get angry with their children and I was angry on how those young boys were put on forefront,” she said.
{{/usCountry}}“Didn’t I have this right to tell these children in a loud voice that you were a part of my rallies, why were you asked to stand in front of the protest demonstrations where you, God forbid, get injured. Still, I apologize. What else can I do?,” the former CM added.
‘Forced to form government with BJP’
The former CM said she was forced to form government with BJP after her father’s demise as her position to renegotiate was weakened by some of the party leaders.
“After my father’s death, I didn’t want to form government with the BJP and had put certain conditions, like getting back power projects, land under army at Anantnag, Tatoo ground, Kargil and other, to ally. People who were trying to create disturbance within the party went to Nagpur and told RSS leadership that they were ready to form government with BJP and break the party which weakened my position for renegotiation,” she said.
“Demands which were earlier accepted by the BJP got scuttled,” the former CM added.
‘Modi wasted the mandate he got’
Taking a dig at the Prime Minister, PDP president said that Narendra Modi wasted the mandate he has got, turning things worse for Jammu and Kashmir.
“He wasted the mandate he had got, not only for the entire country but also for J&K as he failed to adopt the policy of Atal Bihari Vajaypayee which turned things worse in the state,” she said.
Highlighting the achievements during her tenure, the former CM said she had fulfilled various promises, especially amnesty to youth.
“I tried to extend ceasefire for months, ensured justice in Rasana, didn’t allow CBI to takeover cases like Shopian rape and murder and neither compromised on state’s special status nor allow BJP to tinker it,” Mehbooba said.
Retaliating to the questions revolving around the series of resignations in the party, Mehbooba said that people with “selfish goals” have left the party and youth must come forward to join the same.
Six legislators including four former minister like Imran Raza Ansari, Haseeb Drabu, Javaid Mustafa Mir and Basharat Bukhari have left the party ahead of the 2019 assembly elections. Imran Ansari, Abbas Ansari and Abbas Wani have joined BJP ally Peoples’ Conference while Bukhari joined the National Conference.