Mufti Says Govt Must Learn From Taliban Takeover in Afghanistan, Sparks Row

BJP accused her of indulging in a 'politics of hatred' and said anyone conspiring against India would be destroyed.

Former Chief Minister of J&K Mehbooba Mufti. Image used for representational purposes. 

(Photo: PTI)

PDP President Mehmooba Mufti urged the central government to learn from what has happened in Afghanistan, where the Taliban recently seized power, to start a dialogue in Jammu and Kashmir and return it its special status.

Reacting to her comments, BJP accused her of indulging in a 'politics of hatred' and said anyone who was conspiring against India would be destroyed. She was speaking at Kulgam district of south Kashmir and was addressing her party workers while she made these statements.

"America, a superpower, had to pack their bags and flee. You (the Centre) still have the opportunity to start a dialogue process in J-K like (former PM) Vajpayee had and mend your mistake of snatching the J-K's identity illegally and unconstitutionally and splitting of J-K, otherwise it will be too late," she said.

While referring to Taliban she warned that the Centre "should not test us".

She also appealed to the youth to not pick up arms. "The Taliban are now controlling Afghanistan and they made the US flee. But, right now, they are saying the gun will not do. The whole world is watching them, how they will behave, whether they will do the same strictness or behave well with the people," she said, according to PTI.

In what has transpired in Afghanistan, she said there was a lesson for the people of J&K. She said picking arms and dying was not a solution as no one is bothered by the death of another Kashmiri youth. She said there would soon be a time where the central government will "bend on its knees and ask us what we want".

She said this has happened before and referred to how US also had talks with the Taliban, and Central governments of India also spoke to terrorists in J&K in the past. "The US talked to the Taliban, India talked to Pakistan and a ceasefire happened. There is no other option but to talk," she said.

Commenting on the politics of the BJP-led central government, the former J&K CM said, "What has been happening since the last five-seven years, it seems the BJP is trying to split this country and divide the people in the name of religion."

Mufti said if BJP existed during accession of J&K, then the state would probably never have been a part of this country. "It happened when Jawaharlal Nehru was in power, who was secular and democratic and who believed in brotherhood. He assured the people of J&K, which was a Muslim majority, of a special status to accede to a Hindu majority India," she said.

She was asked about why she did not speak about the abrogation of Article 370 in a meeting of Opposition parties on 20 August. She said she had and noted it was the duty of the Congress to safeguard the people of J&K.

Opposition Codndemn Mufti's Remarks, BJP Says Mufti Committed a Great Sin Against Country

"The PDP president has committed a great sin against the country. People of Jammu and Kashmir are patriots who love their nation and are keeping the national flag flying high. They are helping the police, army, and paramilitary forces in combating terrorism," he said.

He lashed out at her and said that, "Whether it is the Taliban, Al-Qaeda, LeT, JeM, or Hizbul... anyone who conspires against India will be destroyed."

Congress spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill also condemned her remarks. He called her comments provocative. "Mehbooba Mufti quoted speech is highly condemnable and provocative. Rather than preaching peace, exposing government on policy issues if your politics requires you to threaten the establishment with violent consequences then clearly you are steering to a wrong path. Sad and shameful," Mr Shergill said, according to PTI.