Updated: October 27, 2020 1:10:10 am
Sources told PTI that the trio was unhappy with Mehbooba’s statement about not holding the tricolor until Jammu and Kashmir’s special status, including its separate state flag, is restored.
Three days after the PDP president and former CM Mehbooba Mufti said that she will not participate in the elections or raise the Tricolor until the constitutional changes applied on August 5 are withdrawn and the separate flag is restored to Jammu and Kashmir, the party suffered a setback in Jammu on Monday with three senior leaders submitting their resignations, saying Mufti’s comments have “hurt patriotic sentiments.”
In their two-page letter of resignation to the party chairman, PPD MP TS Bajwa, founding member and former Secretary General Ved Mahajan, and former Secretary of State Hussain A Waffa wrote that they were “quite uncomfortable about some of his actions and undesirable statements, especially those that hurt patriotic sentiments. ”
“Some of the actions and demonstrations are unforgivable and unforgettable on the part of the people so that the party emerges and moves in the direction of its focus and fundamental identity, in addition to recovering its image as a political alternative… Given this, we feel uncomfortable and suffocated in the match, which forced us to make the difficult decision to leave the match, ”they wrote.
Jammu: PPD leader Ved Mahajan resigned from the party today.
It says: “Our national flag is our pride. Your statement has hurt us. Today, we have shown the people of Jammu and Kashmir that we are lay people. There are many party leaders and workers who can resign ”. https://t.co/88s2n1etvJ pic.twitter.com/BBRheo9NiS
– ANI (@ANI) October 26, 2020
The three leaders referred to previous coalitions with Congress that had been able to restore peace and harmony and ensure equitable political participation.
The PPD also faced a “greater challenge” in 2014 when its late President Mufti Mohammed Sayeed made the “difficult decision” to join the ideologically opposed BJP, they wrote.
“Although he was aware of the difficulties of such a decision, he tried to turn the challenge into new opportunities to promote his vision of a better future and a more harmonious relationship between the people of the state within the Indian union,” they said.
Mufti, who was among dozens of political leaders detained at J&K one night before the Center struck down Article 370 and divided the state into two Union territories on August 5 last year, was released this month after an arrest. of 14 months.
She made the comments Friday during her first press conference after her release. The PPD leader is already under attack for her statement in Jammu, as the BJP approached the Election Commission of India seeking to remove her party. Several BJP leaders have called his comments seditious.
Meanwhile, a group of youths led by a lawyer, Deepak Sharma, invaded the PDP office in Jammu on Monday and raised the Tricolor in the presence of police personnel deployed to the office.
Since Saturday, the PDP office has seen several attempts by various organizations, including the ABVP, to raise the national flag at the party office. -With PTI inputs
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