October 24, 2020 4:36:17 am
The head of the PDP, Mehbooba Mufti, addressed her first press conference after being released from 14 months in detention. (Photo Express)
Stating that it will have “nothing to do with the elections” until J & K’s special status is restored under the Constitution, PDP President and former Prime Minister Mehbooba Mufti said on Friday that she will raise the Tricolor only when the J&K state flag also be restored.
Following the repeal of Article 370 on August 5, 2019, the J&K state flag, which used to fly along with the Tricolor atop the civil secretariat building in Srinagar, was removed.
“My flag is in front of me. When this flag is returned to us, we will also go the other flag (Tricolor). But until that happens, we will not have another flag in our hands. Hamara uss jhande se rishta is jhande ne banaya hai, it is not independent of this flag, ”Mehbooba Mufti told reporters, pointing to the former state flag placed before her along with the PPD flag.
At her first press conference after being released from more than 14 months in detention under ‘They will raise the tricolor when J&K returns … will not contest until special status is restored’ of the Public Safety Act, she said it does not matter. how much the Center tries to discredit J&K. majority parties, will not be able to do so.
“They are trying to replace the Constitution of this country with the BJP manifesto and this will not last long,” he said.
“The people of J&K are expendable (Center), what they want is territory. This country will be governed by the Constitution, not by the BJP manifesto, ”he said.
Referring to constitutional changes that strip J&K of its special status, Mufti said that “what has been taken from us will be taken away … this is a political battle that we will wage peacefully.”
He said his fight will not be limited to seeking the restoration of Article 370, but will go beyond “the resolution of the Kashmir dispute.”
Emphasizing that she “is not in favor of power,” Mufti urged the people of J&K to support the political leadership that has come together as the People’s Alliance. “I have no interest in the elections. The Constitution, under which I opposed the elections, until it is restored to us, I have nothing to do with the elections.
“By forcibly taking away our rights on August 5, they have shattered the Constitution. Even if they had 500 members in Parliament, they didn’t have the power to snatch Article 370 or 35A, they don’t have those powers. The Constitution of India gives those powers to the J&K Constituent Assembly, ”he said.
Referring to Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela, Mufti said it will be “a long fight.” He said the actions of August 5, 2019 were perpetuated through the BJP’s “gross majority” in Parliament.
Regarding the upcoming elections to the District Development Councils and whether his party would be willing to give space to the BJP by not participating in the elections, Mufti said that the Popular Alliance will take a final call on these issues.
“It’s not just about BJP, but also about his cronies. People have to survive. We will weigh the pros and cons and make a decision under the leadership of Farooq Abdullah, and we will do the right thing, ”he said.
Claiming that the BJP did not stop at J&K, he accused it of “polarizing the country” by passing the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, trampling on minority rights, and then incorporating the new farm laws.
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