Mehbooba Mufti asks political leadership to listen to 'voices of pain' from Kashmir

Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti, on Friday made a passionate appeal to the political leadership of the country that it should while cutting across party lines listen to the “voices of pain” from Jammu and Kashmir and support the people of the State in getting out of it.

While interacting with youth from various parts of the State, she said it was high time for the entire country to support the people of J&K in getting out of the “vicious cycle of killings and uncertainty”. She said, “Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, as the most powerful political executive of the country can lead this peace project by responding to the need of putting a stop to the bloodshed in the State which has been going on for almost three decades now.”

Earlier in a tweet, she had said, “Hearty congratulations to @BJP4India on its foundation day. I sincerely hope that India under @narendramodi ji can truly exhibit the moral leadership of the region by winning the trust, hearts & minds of the people of J&K.”

Mufti said peace, reconciliation and dialogue form the core of ‘Agenda of the Alliance’ reached out between her Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and that it was the belief in Prime Minister Modi’s  “leadership abilities and his political clout” that the people of the State are looking up to for the resumption of the same (dialogue).

The Chief Minister said, “Our State and the whole region expect the Prime Minister to revive the spirit of former Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s, initiative and also expect the other shades of political opinion in the country to avoid falling into the trap of old partisan politics and instead support such an initiative.” This, she hoped, would get the State out of the uncertainties and herald into an era of progress and development.

Referring to the Prime Minister’s assertion that the Kashmir problem “will not be solved by bullets or abuses but only with embracing the people) made during his Independence Day speech, the Chief Minister hoped the same to be translated into reality by everyone in the country dealing with the affairs of the State. “From media to administration, strategic community and the security forces, everyone will have to be part of this national effort”, she said. She added, “It is high time that enough hope is generated to persuade young men from going on a violent path by creating their stakes in peace and life rather than in death and rebellion”.

She asserted that a successful peace process in J&Kalone can fullfil the objectives of democracy and justice in the country. “India”, she said, “can truly don the moral leadership of the region by increasing the level of satisfaction of the people of the State by winning their trust and hearts and minds”.

Reacting to Mufti’s assertion that Prime Minister Modi can truly exhibit the moral leadership by winning hearts and minds of people, the Congress party said it was indicative of helplessness of Chief Minister. “She has  tried to invite attention of the Prime Minister towards burning of Kashmir forgetting that it is the wrong policies of the BJP government at the Centre under Modi which are responsible for what is unfolding in the State. I just want to tell her that PM Modi has never been concerned about the bloodshed in Kashmir which is evident from his attitude,” said J&KPCC chief G.A Mir.