Former Chief Minister and People’s Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti on Thursday said the route for India to become a ‘Vishwa Guru’ is through J&K and SAARC, by initiating a dialogue with neighbours, including Pakistan.
“The route to become a ‘Vishwa Guru’ is not G-7, G-20 or Quad but the SAARC platform. If you (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) could not become a ‘guru’ of your neighbours like Bhutan, Nepal etc., how would one think of India becoming a ‘Vishwa Guru’?” Ms. Mufti, who was speaking on the party’s 23rd foundation day in Srinagar, asked.
She said the soured relations between India and Pakistan have become the biggest hurdle for SAARC.
“When I name Pakistan, I am accused of interfering in the foreign affairs. But why shouldn’t I talk about Pakistan? Pakistan has borders with several states of India, including Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab etc but cross-border shelling only takes place in Kashmir. The wars take place on our borders. Ten lakh soldiers are only in Kashmir. Our lives have been made miserable,” Ms. Mufti said.
Ms. Mufti said unless the relations with Pakistan improves and dialogue starts, the theatre of war in Kashmir will not end. “I want to convey to the Government of India and Modi ji that till the Kashmir issue is not resolved, it will remain a shackle in your legs,” she added.
Ms. Mufti said PM Narendra Modi, if he wants, can resolve the Kashmir issue. “History will remember you for resolving the Kashmir issue but not how many mosques were demolished. It only attracts hatred. The way you dislike those who dismantled temples,” Ms. Mufti said.
She asked India to become a part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Project (CPEC). “Open Kashmir to the world like Pakistan and China have done to the other parts of (erstwhile) Kashmir,” Ms. Mufti said.
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Har Ghar Tiranga Jibe By Mehbooba Mufti.
In a veiled reference to the ‘Har Ghar Tiranga’ campaign launched by the BJP in Kashmir, Ms. Mufti said “Hoist the Tiranga on 1000 square kms of land that China has grabbed from us in Ladakh. The flag is being politicised. Small shopkeepers are threatened to hoist it or face action,” Ms. Mufti said.
She accused the Lieutenant Governor’s administration of organizing the Amarnath Yatra in a fashion that has put locals in difficulties. “Pregnant women are finding it difficult to reach hospitals due to security restrictions. Tents have been pitched in undesired parts on the Yatra route. This is all to show that these many pilgrims have come this year,” Ms. Mufti said.
Ms. Mufti said her father, former Chief Minister Mutfi Muhammad Sayeed, set off a movement by launching the PDP and raised the slogan ‘dialogue not bullets will resolve Kashmir issue”.
“It was Mufti sahib who convinced (former Prime Minister) Atal Bihari Vajpayee to initiate a dialogue with Hurriyat leaders like Yasin Malik, who is in jail now, but L.K. Advani met him then and (Hurriyat chairman) Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and with Pakistan,” she added.