Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir and Peoples Democratic Party leader has warned the Bharatiya Janata Party led centre on Friday. The PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, as reported by news agency ANI, issued this statement as rumours surrounding the defections from her own party cadres are on the rise. The BJP government had pulled support from the Jammu and Kashmir government after Eid, which led to fall of the Mehbooba Mufti led government and imposition of Governor’s rule in the state. Rumours about dissatisfied party MLAs from PDP willing to lend support to the BJP to form government in the state had been on the rise ever since. Some statements too have been issued by MLAs and leaders from the PDP which show there is a growing dissatisfaction between Mufti and her party members which could lead to a split in the PDP. Mufti instead of pacifying her own leaders has decided to lay all the blame on the BJP. Her statement, “If Delhi tries to break the PDP the results will be exceedingly dangerous”, is an indication of how disillusioned and frightened the PDP chief currently is.
Mehbooba Mufti and her party are in a bad position in the state as of now. Increase in violence under her rule, especially when she was the one sitting in the driving chair of the government has deteriorated people’s trust in her. No notable work has been achieved in the Kashmir valley under her 4 years of rule. Jammu, on the other hand, has grown to be a better place owing to BJP MLAs. Her appeasement politics have allowed many terrorists and stone pelters to stay in safety in the Kashmir valley. BJP’s split with the PDP too happened over charges of inaction, something which the PDP MLAs now feel is true. Rumours suggest that a number of leaders from PDP are willing to join ranks with BJP to form a government in the state which will work towards improvement and development in the Kashmir valley. However, BJP General Secretary, Ram Madhav, has categorically denied any sort of behind the scenes negotiations with the disgruntled PDP MLAs.
Mehbooba Mufti definitely crossed the line while trying to warn BJP when she said, “If, like in 1987, Delhi hijacks the vote of this state’s people, if this kind of breakup of loyalties is attempted, the manner in which a Salahuddin (or) a Yasin Malik came to the fore will (happen again)… if those in Delhi try to break up the PDP, let there be no doubt the result of that will be exceedingly dangerous.”
It is dangerous how an ex-CM of Kashmir has resorted to threatening the centre by taking the names of terrorists and terrorist supporters from the valley. This statement shows the desperation of Mehbooba Mufti who is trying all that she can to save her relevance in the political scenario of the state. Syed Salahuddin, the head of Hizbul Mujahideen and Yasin Malik the head of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front are known terrorists from the Kashmir valley who have the bloods of many innocent people and security forces on their hands. By taking their names Mufti somehow wants to instil fear in the minds of BJP and her own party MLAs. She does not yet realize that this statement will be a political blunder for her and will further distance the already disgruntled leaders from her. She has committed a disgraceful offence by trying to justify terrorists and their actions, something which the people of the state will remember in the days ahead.