By: Faizan Wani
Srinagar: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president and former chief minister, Mehbooba Mufti Thursday stressed upon all opposition parties to fight a collective battle against the BJP’s ploy to weaken the federal structure of India.
Lamenting over what she termed as opposition parties’ ‘silence’ on abrogation of special status of Jammu and Kashmir and its bifurcation in two Union Territories, PDP chief sad the experiment BJP did on Jammu and Kashmir in 2019 is now being done in other States of India.
“Unfortunately the experiment done on Jammu and Kashmir in 2019 is now being done in other parts of the country, all opposition parties maintained silence when J&K’s special status was scrapped and the state was divided. Now opposition parties need to be united to fight BJPs ploy to weaken the federal structure of India,” Mehbooba told reporters outside PDP headquarters.
She said BJP led dispensation at centre also wants to make state governments ‘powerless’ like the way Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal was left.
Reacting over limited trade resumption between India and Pakistan, PDP chief said dialogue is futile until Jammu and Kashmir is not included in Confidence Building Measures between the two sides. She also demanded that trade links via Muzaffarabad and Rawlakot be also restored.
“Any dialogue vis-à-vis trade between India and Pakistan passes through Jammu and Kashmir, hence dialogue is futile unless Jammu and Kashmir is not included in CBMs. Muzaffarabad and Rawlakot trade should also be resumed,” she said.
The PDP chief also condemned killing of a policeman guarding BJP leader’s house in uptown Srinagar this morning.
She said gun has never been a solution to any issue as issues can only be addressed through peaceful dialogue—(KNO)
