Riyaz ul Khaliq
SRINAGAR
Chief Minister Ms Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday said that she doesn’t need to “justify the alliance her father stitched with right wing BJP’.
Winding up discussion on grants to departments working under her, Ms Mehbooba said, “the decision of my father to ally with BJP is Pathar Ki Lakeer.” “History has proved decisions taken by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed right time and again.”
Earlier speaking on the grants, Leader of Opposition and Ms Mufti’s predecessor, Omar Abdullah, had asked Ms Mehbooba to tell people “as how PDP and BJP came together”.
“I am fighting election today but why are you worried,” Ms Mehbooba said addressing Omar Abdullah in the Lower House. “It is not my worry but it is a concern of this august house,” Omar responded.
Fate of Ms Mehbooba Mufti was sealed today in Islamabad segment which witnessed around 34% percent polling in By-Polls. The seat fell vacant due to demise of former CM, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.
Ms Mehbooba praised the content of the speech of NC’s Khanyar Lawmaker, A M Sagar who debated on grants yesterday. “It was inclusive one,” Ms Mufti told the house, “but today it (Omar’s speech) was bachi kuchi jaisay kasar nikaali gaye.”
While responding to the debate on “the role of an MLA”, she said, “J&K Assembly is most powerful legislature of India but when we don’t see with suspicion.” She said, “late Mufti gave his life to create an alternate in J&K.”
Asserting that her father never did U-Turns in his lifetime, Ms Mehbooba Mufti said, “he respected the mandate of people and joined hands with BJP.”
Thanking NC and Congress for extending support, she said, “such is the heaviness of this alliance that ye aaj tak logon ko hazam nai huwa.”
Lashing out at previous National Conference led government is state for “selling interests of J&K in lieu of chair”, Ms Mufti said, “I am surprised as how people, media, Jammu, Chenab remained silent when power projects were being sold to NHPC.”
She asked Omar to explain the reason as why he joined BJP led NDA government in Delhi as its deputy Foreign Minister. “I never asked you that you have joined Jan Sangh,” she told Omar Abdullah.
Ridiculing the policies of the previous governments, she asked Omar to explain as why his father and NC head banned Shahtoos. “It is our heritage; why did you ban it? Aaap ki Kya Majboori Thi? Why did you sell power projects?”
“I am puzzled as why people didn’t resent when our assets were being sold out,” she said.
She said that same NC government was responsible for putting J&K Bank into the kitty of RBI. She again questioned media’s silence on the issue.
The CM apologised to house for being absent last day. “But we can’t take our people for-granted,” she said referring to Islamabad elections, “I was upset in Islamabad because people mentioned late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.” “And I was not keeping well yesterday so I couldn’t attend full day proceedings yesterday.”
Responding to concerns of Omar Abdullah, Mehbooba said, “Dr Farooq and Rajiv Ghandhi had already hugged each other.” “Late Mufti was straight forward and even opposed it,” she said, “but Mufti was sent to Delhi and whatever happened in Kashmir happened after that.”
She acceded that there must be some photos showing 1987 election campaign and “may be my father is in the photos”.
She reminded Omar as how Dr Farooq flew to Delhi and told Union government that Kashmir had become Pakistan. “It was Dr Farooq to tell Delhi that only NC could save Kashmir.”
“Whatever we did had a reason; RSS ka, Jan Sngh Ka taana dayta hain but Omar I never asked you why you were part of Jan Sangha as MoS in 2002,” she added.
On the issue of repeat of 1947, she said, “that mayhem was clearly on religious basis.” “But we never wanted that.”
“Why to punish those lakhs of people who had voted?” she asked, “even if I perish due to this alliance but J&K is saved, I will repeat this alliance thousand times.” She said this while swearing: Khuda ko haazir naazir jaan kar!
Ms Mufti further added that Kashmiris are being seen with suspicion but “we will get America, London, France here only. We have to make every city here because space has been squeezed for us.”
Revealing that state government has no problem of money “but we need some time as well atmosphere to implement the development works”.
“Otherwise,” she said, “when a minor stone pelting incidents happen and at Prime Time shows, Nation wants to know, keep you buzzing.” She questioned as how media remained silent on the death of a boatman while rescuing tourists. “They didn’t send their reporters then.”
“We will assure governance with political accountability,” she said.
On the issue of arrests, Ms Mehbooba ridiculed Omar Abdullah as how he forgot 120 youth who were killed in 2010. “110 youth were from Srinagar itself.” “How and why did you forget,” she asked Omar Abdullah.
She maintained that her government doesn’t want repeat of such a situation. “I have asked the minister concerned to review cases and those with no heinous crime and are educated be freed before Eid ul Fitr under general amnesty,” she told the house.
Observing that media doesn’t “report unbiased”, she said as how Jammu media castigated Kashmir and vice versa.
“Some newspapers in Jammu question as how Kashmir was given more funds but they forget the devastating floods and on the other hand Kashmir based newspapers question as how Industrial sector is growing inn winter capital but forget that atmosphere in Jammu was favourable,” she added.
She asserted that her government “will do justice” with newspaper owners viz-viz New Advertisement Policy.
“I remember as how Ab Qayoom of Kashmir Times followed me everywhere,” she revealed, “but many Journalists lost their lives too.”
