Reiterating that the coming elections will be crucial in determining Jammu and Kashmir’s future, former chief minister and President of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Mehbooba Mufti has said these elections will provide an opportunity to the people to safeguard Jammu and Kashmir’s Muslim majority character and its core interests.
Addressing party worker’s convention in north Kashmir’s Uri, Mehbooba cautioned the people about “sinister motives” of the BJP to fragment people on the basis of sects, communities and regions. She alleged that a very “dreadful” trap is being laid by the BJP so that it could divide residents of Jammu and Kashmir into Paharis, Gujjar Bakerwal, Shia, Sunni and Barelvis.
“They want to give an impression that only Kashmiri speaking people of the valley are for special status of the state. While the fact remains that every single citizen of the state irrespective of his religion, language and sect holds our special status dearer than life. These nefarious designs are being implemented in the state so that it could deprive us of our special status and unique identity besides altering state’s Muslim majority character,” Mehbooba said while asking people to stay alert and not to allow divisive and communal elements in succeeding in their nefarious motives.
She said that while the state is going through tough times, people are knowledgeable enough to know what are the threats and the stakes involved and how proxies are being fielded in Kashmir so as to erode the special status and scrap Article 35-A.
“Stay cautious and don’t get caught as mesh is of the same colour as the ground. We must all resolve to defeat proxies and send a strong message to the world about how dear the unique identity of the state is to us,” Mehbooba said.