By Mudassir Kuloo
Srinagar, Jun 19: Hours after the Bharatiya Janata Party withdrew its support from the alliance, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President, Mehbooba Mufti, on Tuesday said a “muscular policy” cannot work in Jammu Kashmir.
“Jammu and Kashmir is not an enemy territory. A muscular policy cannot work in Jammu and Kashmir. That’s why we wanted a unilateral ceasefire to continue,” Mehbooba said in a hurriedly convened press conference at her Gupkar residence here.
“We did not get the appropriate response from the other side. PDP would continue its healing touch policy in the state.”
Before addressing the media, Mehbooba submitted her resignation to Governor, NN Vohra and, subsequently, held an hour-long meeting with her senior party leaders.
Mehbooba said she was not surprised over the withdrawal of support of the BJP.
“It took Mufti Sahab several months to take a decision on forming alliance with the BJP because we shared a grand vision. We did not make this alliance for power, but to take JK out of unending violence,” she said.
“We wanted to continue the unilateral ceasefire but did not get appropriate response from the other side. Our Agenda of Alliance was for reconciliation, dialogue with Pakistan, and the people of Jammu and Kashmir. We tried to keep Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh united,” she said, ruling out an alliance with the NC or Congress.
She was flanked by all former PDP ministers and senior leaders.
Taking credit for the “confidence building measures” taken in the last few years, she said, “Our biggest encouragement is that we maintained the special status of JK, and defended Article 370 and Article 35-A in the Supreme Court. We withdrew cases against 11,000 stone throwers. We handled the Rasana case very well and fought against cow vigilantism.”
She said the PDP workers faced a lot of problems but stood with their party.
The PDP-BJP formed alliance in March 2015.
After the death of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, Mehbooba, his daughter, took over as the Chief Minister of the state on April 4, 2016.
The PDP-BJP alliance had hit several controversies and leaders of both the parties had been openly criticising each other in the past.
