Mehbooba Mufti, former Chief Minister of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir took to indirectly announcing her retirement from politics on Friday. Mufti was among the last leaders to be released from detention, following the Modi government’s historic decision to nullify Article 370 and bifurcate Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh into two separate Union Territories. Political leaders from Kashmir were put under detention over apprehensions of them trying to stoke violence in the valley. Having been released, they have now ganged up under an umbrella of the ‘Gupkar Declaration’, and have promised to fight for the restoration of Kashmir’s special status.
Mehbooba Mufti no less than attempted to threaten the Centre, and said, “Now it is time for leaders to sacrifice for the cause. Even if leaders need to shed their blood for the cause…Mehbooba Mufti will be the first to offer it…One day they (Delhi) will fall at our feet and ask for resolution. It is a political fight and (we) will achieve (our) goal.” Further, announcing the end of her political career, Mehbooba said that she would not be contesting any elections until the special status of Kashmir is restored, along with its own flag and constitution.
“We will raise the national flag only once our state flag is back. The national flag is here only because of this (the Jammu and Kashmir) flag and constitution. We are linked to the rest of the country because of this flag,” Mufti added. In fact, the PDP chief even kept two flags on her desk as she addressed reporters – that of her party and the erstwhile flag of J&K.
Also speaking about Kashmir’s state Constitution which has been turned redundant now, Mufti said, “I have contested elections under our own constitution. How can I contest elections when that constitution has been abolished?”
Mehbooba Mufti’s wishful thinking about the impossible reversion to the old Kashmir where two families ruled the valley by keeping it under their thumb is as good as a retirement announcement. The Muftis and Abdullahs were powerful politicians within the valley only until Article 370 was constitutionally valid. With its abrogation, the political fortunes of the two families have effectively been pushed into the grave. For them to even think that Article 370 would be brought back by any government, irrespective of it being comprised of the BJP or not in the Centre, is hilarious. No government will take to digging its own political grave by bringing back the discriminatory article. Effectively, this means that Mehbooba Mufti’s and her ilk’s political innings are now over, forever.
