Mehbooba Warns Of Afghanistan Like Reaction In Kashmir Over Special Status, Triggers Outrage
Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has asked the Centre to take a lesson out of Afghanistan and urged the government to hold dialogue in Jammu and Kashmir and return its special status.
Referring to the Taliban seizing power in Afghanistan, the PDP leader warned the Centre ¡°to not test us" and asked the government to ¡°mend its ways, understand the situation, and see what is happening in your neighbourhood."
"America, a superpower, had to pack their bags and flee. You (the Centre) still have the opportunity to start a dialogue process in J-K like (former PM) Vajpayee had and mend your mistake of snatching the J-K's identity illegally and unconstitutionally and splitting of J-K, otherwise it will be too late,¡± she said, referring to the decisions of August 5, 2019.
Addressing her party workers in Kulgam district of south Kashmir, Mehbooba also appealed to the youth not to pick up arms, saying the issue cannot be resolved with guns or stones.
¡°The Government of India should return what it has snatched from us and address the Kashmir issue according to the wishes and aspirations of the people of J-K,¡± she said.
Citing the example of Afghanistan, the PDP president said the issues cannot be resolved by guns or stones.
¡°The Taliban are now controlling Afghanistan and they made the US to flee. But, right now, they are saying the gun will not do. The whole world is watching them, how they will behave, whether they will do the same strictness or behave well with the people,¡± she said.
Mehbooba said there was a lesson for the people of J-K in the situation in Afghanistan.
¡°I request the youth to resist by staying alive and do not lose your lives. When you lose your lives, everything is over. The people at the other end do not understand that the youth of Kashmir should not sacrifice their lives. They are not bothered. So, I appeal to all the youngsters not to pick up guns or stones. If you cannot speak with your tongue, then remember the wounds in your heart,¡± she said.
The comments, however, have invited sharp criticism from the BJP.
"It is Mehbooba Mufti's old habit to make comments that are not in interests of the nation. She must understand that Article 370 is gone forever... The government is continuously talking to people of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh but she wants to talk to somewhere else," Union Minister Anurag Thakur said.
"Mehbooba Mufti you do not even know that America was sitting in another country, Afghanistan, we are sitting in our country, no one can even think of removing us from here. If you have so much love for Pakistan, then go there, the happiness you are enjoying here is far away there," Haryana Minister Anil Vij said in a tweet.
