#Day48: ‘I’ll Face Them…,’ Mehbooba’s Outbursts At Press Conference

KL NEWS NETWORK

SRINAGAR

Chief Minister Ms Mehbooba Mufti on Thursday called for a clear distinction between “five percent” of the population who are resorting to “violence” and the “majority” that want peaceful resolution of the problem.

She said the law will take its own course in dealing with the population that is using violence. She will personally face these people as well, she asserted.

Ms Mufti was addressing a news conference along with the visiting Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

Given the importance of the statements, the Chief Minister made, a few in anger, Kashmir Life is using the statements verbatim.

We have used official broadcaster Doordarshan’s recordings, available on You Tube in drafting this news item.

Introducing the Home Minister, Ms Mufti said:

“As you are aware the Home Minister Sahab has come for the second time in a month. The situation in J&K is bad for the last one or one and half months. Everybody is concerned as there are casualties. They are own kids, our own people.

Even Prime Minister has expressed his concern. He also wants to reach out to the people.

This is the second visit of Home Minister Sahab came to assess the situation, to see how the situation in J&K can be improved. I have said it repeatedly that all the parties in India, and the government of India, should focus on 95 percent population of the state, especially Kashmir, which wants solutions of whichever issues Kashmir has through dialogue. They do not want to throw stones on the roads, they do not want violence. They do not want to achieve any objective by attacking any establishment.

So let us differentiate between those people who want the resolution of the problem through dialogue and reconciliation and those people who are exploiting the minor and poor kids and using them to resort to stone throwing on roads and camps. Let us make a distinction between the two.

I hope that the Home minister, will …the larger population who believe in peace, reconciliation and dignity, want to live respectfully. At the same time, he will, take care of the problem, as Vajpayee Ji had said, the solution within the humanity. We should keep those people in focus.

The five percent population which is resorting to destruction here, they will be taken care of by the law. They will not be permitted that they will make the life of the majority hell. They will not be permitted to do that.”

Later interrupting the Home Minister, Ms Mufti said:

“Let me correct it first, Muzamil. I have not said this. I said 95 percent people want peaceful resolution to it. That means there is a political problem. But there is five percent population that has hijacked it by resorting to violence and pushed it off the track. Because nowhere in the world is space for the violence. If you have to get a bad name to an issue, you resort to violence and nobody will listen to you.” {Ms Mufti was responding to Muzamil (Jaleel) who is a Journalist with The Indian Express.}

Then finally, she responded to a question directed at her asking about her role as an opposition leader in 2010 and now as chief minister in 2016:

“You are making a bad analysis of what you are saying. There was a reason for 2010. There was a fake encounter in Machil where three civilians were killed. After that there were allegations of rape and murder in Shopian. Then, while playing cricket….

That means there was a reason for peoples’ anger.

Today there was an encounter as encounters take place in which three militants were killed. What was the fault of the government in this? People came out on the roads, we imposed curfew restrictions. The kid that went to the army camp had not gone there for a toffee. The 15 year old boy in Damhal Hanjipora had not gone to the police station for fetching milk.

You are mixing the two things.

Then the people had one reason that civilians were killed in fake encounter. Shopian happened and then Tufail Matoo.

Ninety five percent of the people who were killed are sons of poor. And those attacking security camps and who were killed by pellet guns in relations and those injured.

There is one lecturer in which I want an enquiry and they should be punished. I am supportive of that.

But do not say this, do not compare.

The then government of Omar Sahab (Abdullah) had said that they are anti-national, they are against India.

I am saying 95 percent of the people of Kashmir want resolution through peaceful means, through dialogue but five percent…

Unfortunately, our miscreants use kids as shield and send them to army camps for attacks. They want the kids should die, should get blinded. We understand it.

…

We are not side-lining anything.

….

Those kids, I have got them out of knife, when they were fleeing after seeing gypsies of Task Force, when they were being taken to Begaar (forced labour), when they were being taken to cut the grass in South Kashmir. I have got them out (from these situations) in south Kashmir from those terrible situations when they were being checked cards.

Now some people have taken control over them. They are being misused for their illegitimate objectives. I am supportive of Kashmir issue, want its resolution. There should be dialogue. But by attacking camps with stones will not solve anything.

Thank you

….

This issue is between them and me, me Mehbooba Mufti…

I will face them!

Ends