Mehbooba hits out at Omar, says 'debate over past will land NC in trouble'

Srinagar, Sep 03: The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president and former chief minister J&K Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday heavily took on National Conference (NC) for leveling charges against her party, saying “If NC will start debate over past issues, it will create troubles for them”.

She asserted that PDP has never contested elections for the lust of power, rather the party always maintained to keep the party’s agenda intact and atop.

Mehbooba Mufti said, “There is a party who generally stepped out to contest elections, but the aim was to form the government, else they have no motto”.

“I’m surprised it is the same party who from 1947-2002 came into power many times with 70-75 seats. But when we ascertain their performance they achieved nothing. Instead PDP under the leadership of Late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed with only 16 seats did tremendous job, and dominated over NC’s 75 seat performance,” Mehbooba as per Greater Kashmir told reporters on the sidelines of a joining ceremony at party headquarters in Srinagar.

Expressing on 1987 poll rigging, the PDP president Mehbooba Mufti alleged NC for resorting to poll irregularities, and said, “Since poll rigging took place in 1987 the gun is not leaving Jammu & Kashmir. The statistic of graveyards, orphans and widows increased manifold due to malicious role of NC in democratic exercise,” she added.

The former chief minister continued that PDP formed governments in past with Congress and BJP on principles, and added, “PDP formed government in 2016, and the next formation cannot be conceived without PDP’s involvement”.

“We formed governments with Congress and BJP which were based on principles. We ensured dialogue with Pakistan, brought a high-level delegation of MPs to the doors to Hurriyat Conference, withdrew 12,000 FIRs which were lodged against youth in the times of NC rule, etc.,” she added.

While questioning NC vice president over his performance, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said, “I want to ask Omar Abdullah when you were a minister in BJP government what you did. You brought POTA (Prevention of Terrorism Act), 2002 to J&K, banned shahtoos which was a source of livelihood of poor, and being a Foreign Minister you were convincing outside world that J&K is no issue. Further you did one more thing by assisting in assassination of a Kashmiri in Tihar jail. But when we shook hands with BJP that was based on principles and PDP didn’t comprise its agenda,” Mehbooba said.

About Shopian rape and murder case which happened in 2009, Mehbooba said those complained were booked and arrested by NC government, while PDP took a strong cognizance of Kathua incident and dropped two ministers in our times.

“If NC will debate over past issues with PDP, it will land them in trouble,” Mehbooba added.