Mehbooba All Set to Form Govt, AAP-Cong Demand Clarity on Afzal

AAP and Congress question Mehbooba Mufti as she declares that PDP and BJP will form the government in J&K.

PDP President Mehbooba Mufti with BJP President Amit Shah. (Photo: PTI)

PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti has staked claim to form the government in Jammu and Kashmir with its ally in the state, the BJP.

But with this announcement came the first set of questions that the chief minister-to-be might have to answer.

The Aam Aadmi Party and the Congress have demanded that Mehbooba Mufti clarify her stand on her party’s “deal” with BJP.

In an open letter to Mufti, AAP leader Kumar Vishwas has asked her to accept the fact that her “hailing” of Afzal Guru as a martyr in the past was a “mistake”.

We have come to know from sources that you have changed your stand on traitor Afzal Guru. According to the terms of the alliance, you now consider him to be an anti-national and you regret your old stand. It is praiseworthy and we appreciate it. 

<b>Excerpt from the open letter</b>

Vishwas said it would help them dispel the misunderstandings over the BJP-PDP deal.

The open letter from Kumar Vishwas also said,

We congratulate you in advance for forming the government with BJP under these conditions. Please clarify to the media stating that hailing Afzal Guru as a martyr was your mistake and you consider him to be an anti-national like we do.

Alleging that action against the Kashmiri students who had raised “anti-national” slogans at JNU was stalled due to Mufti, AAP hoped that following government formation in the state, she will arrest them or assist the Centre in doing so.

AAP also began a social media campaign #SpeakUpMehbooba. A series of tweets put out by the party’s official account accused Mufti of betraying Kashmiris and “Kashmiriyat” by indulging in political opportunism.

Congress Brings in the Nationalism Angle

The Congress too posed similar questions to Mehbooba Mufti and her party. The statements came in as soon as Mufti came out of the meeting with Jammu and Kashmir Governor, NN Vohra.

(With agency inputs.)