Former J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has said that the BJP will play politics to gain votes over the issues of Taliban and Pakistan.
She claimed that it is not Hindus but the democracy and India which are in danger under the BJP rule, which has undone all the good work of the past 70 years of the Congress and started selling national resources and raising the prices of essentials to fill its coffers to buy or intimidate opposition legislators.
The former chief minister taunted her critics and said the mere mention of Taliban or the party’s vision of self-rule makes her ‘anti-national’ and triggers debates and discussions even as the focus should have been the ongoing agitation of the farmers, inflation and other issues of public importance.
“Jammu and Kashmir is in trouble and so is the entire country. They say Hindus are in danger but they are not in danger and in fact it is India and the democracy which are in danger because of them (BJP),” Mehbooba said while addressing a rally organised by the youth wing of her party here.
The PDP Chief said, “As the elections in different states come nearer, the BJP will start cashing on the god-given opportunity of Taliban and Afghanistan and if it would not work, they will bring Pakistan and drones into the picture”.
“They will not talk about China which has intruded into Ladakh because they do not get votes by talking about that country. If you want to frighten people, talk about Taliban, Afghanistan and Pakistan and do something here and there and seek votes,” she further said.
“They do not have anything to sell to the people and therefore they will use Pakistan and J&K to garner votes. They have destroyed J-K and are using sticks to oppress the people who are not allowed to speak openly for their rights,” she said. Mehbooba said the BJP is watching what she is saying to trigger a debate in media.
No Discussion on Important Issues.
“The farmers’ agitation, growing unemployment, inflation and other issues facing the country should have been the focus of our debates but there is no discussion on these important issues. Since the elections in UP are drawing closer, there will be more discussion on Taliban and Afghanistan,” she said.
Mehbooba said there are debates on the oppressive measures adopted by the Taliban against women in Afghanistan but nobody is talking about the women of India who are facing rapes and dowry deaths.
Explaining self-rule, she said Jammu and Kashmir is holding a strategic position and can be a gateway to central Asia if all the cross-border traditional routes are opened and all the neighbouring countries are allowed to open bank branches which will generate employment.