Won’t raise any other flag till our flag, constitution is given back to us.
Srinagar, Oct 23: Former Chief Minister and People’s Democratic Party, President Mehbooba Mufti on Friday said that BJP is trying to replace the constitution of India by its own manifesto. The people of Jammu and Kashmir are expendable to them (center), what they want is territory. This country will run on the constitution, not BJP’s manifesto. After spending over a year under arrest, Ms Mufti said, “Those who feel we will abandon Kashmir are mistaken.”
“A robber may be mighty, but he has to return the stolen goods. They demolished the Constitution. Parliament had no power to taken away special status,” Dictatorship will not continue for long”, Ms Mufti said.
According to news agency KDC, Mehbooba was addressing her first press conference, after her release from 14 month long detention at her Gupkar residence. She was accompanied by senior party leaders Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura, Dr. Mehboob Beigh, Abdul Rehman Veeri and Suhail Bukhari.
In a defiant move against the decision of BJP led central government of abrogating Article 370 and 35- A in August last year, Mehbooba had put the State flag of erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir ahead of her.
Even after more than one year long detention, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Friday dared to put the State flag of erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir State in her maiden press conference after her release.
While pointing towards the flag, Mehbooba said. “My flag is this (points to the flag of J&K kept on the table in front of her). When this flag comes back, we’ll raise that flag (tricolor) too. Until we get our own flag back, we won’t raise any other flag; this flag forged our relationship with that flag”.
Our relationship with the flag of this country is not independent of this flag (Jammu and Kashmir’s flag). When this flag comes in our hand, we will raise that flag too, she added.
It is believed that displaying the State flag by her even after being kept in detention under stringent PSA , Mehbooba mufti has shown the gesture to carry forward a message that she is serious about fighting for restoration of Article 370 and 35-A , which granted special status to erstwhile J&K.
Mehbooba said that our fight is not only confined for the restoration of special status, but for the resolution of Kashmir issue as well. Kashmir issue is an issue and nobody can turn their eye blind towards it.
She said that anyone who is raising his or her voice over the abrogation of special status is being suppressed. They have nothing to show to ask for votes. They say you can buy land in J&K, we have abrogated Article 370. Then they said they will give free vaccines. Today Prime Minister Modi had to speak of Article 370 for votes. This government has failed to solve the issues of this nation, she added.
She also stated that it was not the alliance with BJP that led to the abrogation of special status as everything was done from the parliament. “It was the parliament that was misused. Parliament had no right to do this. We stood like a wall for Article 370. It was only because of releasing stone pelters, Jamaatis and returning the bodies of militants to their families that the bonhomie with BJP,” she added.
About elections, she said that “Mehbooba has nothing to do with the elections.” However, she said that party leaders will sit together and the signatories of Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration will also sit and take any decision accordingly.
“It’s a fact that China captured 1000 sq km of our land. I think we somehow managed to get back around 40 km. China speaks of Article 370 too. They say it’s disputed & ask why was J&K made UT? J&K came into international view like never before after abrogation,” she said.
Mehbooba Mufti was arrested during the intervening night of 4th and 5th august, prior to revocation of Article 370 and 35-A by Narender Modi led BJP government. (KDC)
