JAMMU: In a clear message to ally BJP, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Monday said anybody weakening Article 370, which grants special status to the state, will be doing the “biggest anti-national act” even as she contended that a “conspiracy is being hatched against our culture and state” in this regard.
She also attacked those opposing setting up of colonies for Kashmiri Pandits in the Valley, saying that by doing so, they do not want in their “heart of hearts” the displaced people to return.
Speaking in the Legislative Assembly, she underlined that Pandits cannot go back to live in their original villages and other places in Kashmir in the prevailing security situation when even political workers and MLAs and MLCs are seeking a protective set-up.
On Article 370, Mehbooba, who is running a coalition government with BJP, said “there are some forces within this country who think that by scrapping Article 370, the issue of Kashmir will be resolved and everything will be alright.”
BJP’s stated position is that Article 370 should be scrapped for total integration of J&K with India.
“There is a conspiracy being hatched against our culture and state. Those who speak against Article 370, they don t know that the Article 370, which is our special status, is in our character because of which we have dismissed the two ideological (narrative of two-nation theory) and also religion, and have shaken hands with India,” Mehbooba said.
Respecting concerns expressed by National Conference leader and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah that some people are trying to weaken Article 370 through the judiciary, she said, “If they hurt its soul by raking up Article 370, Section 35-A repeatedly etc, I feel that there will be no big anti-national act anything than this.”
Vowing to oppose any move to erode Article 370, she said, “There will be no bigger anti-national thing than this because when you weaken this uniqueness of Kashmir through judiciary, then those forces in Kashmir Valley, who want to put an end to the composite culture in Kashmir Valley and want to have people from one community (Muslims) only, with one attire and one way of life, you will only make them successful.”
Then there will be no meeting ground for mainstream politicians, the Chief Minister said.
She asserted that her endeavour will be to ensure that “such things do not happen in which our uniqueness of the Jammu and Kashmir — uniqueness because of a status and a special position — does not get diluted.”
Side by side, she said, “we need to work together to save the composite culture for which Article 370 protects it.”
The PDP leader said, “If they hit those roots which is the basis of our composite culture, civilization and Kashmiriyat and brotherhood of Hindu, Muslim and Sikhs, which Gandhi ji also had seen in Kashmir, I feel that there will be no big anti-national act anything than this.” She added, “These are the same forces, which we have seen here also, who think by destroying the composite culture in Kashmir and make it a one religion-based state (Muslim state), particularly Valley.”
Hitting out former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for his remarks that Mehbooba Mufti is running her government on the doctorine of NSA Ajit Doval, she said “I act on Mufti doctrine. We all act on that doctrine. I don’t believe in Dulat or Doval doctrine. If Dulat sahib or Doval sahib will help us to implement our doctrine, I will salute them”.
Asserting that Agenda of Alliance (AoA) is the best document, the CM said “We have 28 seats and BJP has 25 seats.
Since 1947, such a document has not been framed which has not only been debated and discussed at the state level but as well as at the Parliament level”.
“When you ask questions, we become accountable in continuing this document forward”, she said.
Referring to a member’s speech, she said “all the political parties in Delhi do not understand that there is a document as on date which has a consensus (on J&K)”.
“If they do not act on it, then it will not only be discrimination with our party or this House, but not only in Jammu and Kashmir, but it will be discrimination with entire country because the consequences of not acting on it, will be most unfavourable (na pasandida)”. Hitting out at opposition on AoA, she said “when we entered into alliance with Congress and formed the previous government, the then opposition had also called the AoA as a bunch of papers”.
“But when we acted on that and situation began to change they could realize the power of AoA”, she said.