NC missed opportunity for joint fight: Mehbooba Mufti

Anantnag, Apr 29:   Former Chief Minister and People's Democratic Party (PDP) President Mehbooba Mufti on Monday blamed National Conference (NC) for not putting up a joint fight for safeguarding the interests of people of Jammu and Kashmir.

Addressing a rally amidst heavy rains in Dooru areas of south Kashmir's Anantnag district, Mehbooba said that people of Jammu and Kashmir were hopeful that NC and PDP would join hands to fight against the major challenges.

"But unfortunately National Conference did not hold the hand of friendship extended by PDP," she said. The PDP chief said that the NC did not stop there. " They said that PDP has finished and does not exist anywhere," she said. Mehbooba said that PDP is alive in the hearts of people across Jammu and Kashmir. "It is not only about south Kashmir. I have recently visited the Pir Panjal region. I found PDP in the hearts of people," she said.

Underscoring the contribution of her party, Mehbooba said that PDP revoked POTA and disbanded Ikhwan. She said that her party put an end to the bonded labour. Mehbooba said that the present elections were not for demanding the utility services and other amenities. "We fight these elections to end the enforced silence and suffocation", Mehbooba said. She said that these polls were to secure the release of hundreds of youth languishing in jails. "We have send out a message through our votes that what happened on August 5, 2019 is not palatable to us", she said.