Crescent Kashmir

After Mehbooba’s recent utterances, more join other parties

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By: Muzamil Bhat CK

Srinagar

Recently Mehbooba Mufti claimed that government of India wants to dismantle her party structure in entire Jammu and Kashmir and said that they were coercing her activists and leaders to leave her party or face charges.

Close to the heels of such claims by Mehbooba Mufti, on Monday in a major political development, former minister Syed Basharat Bukhari who recently resigned from National Conference joined Peoples Conference led by Sajad Lone. On the Monday itself right hand man of Mehbooba Mufti Peerzada Mansoor Hussain also joined the same party along with the main face of Srinagar for Mehbooba Mufti Khurshid Alam.

Earlier Mehbooba Mufti has said that government of India is hounding her with the agencies like ED and NIA so that she does not talk for the rights of people of Jammu and Kashmir.

She recently said that not only the statehood but the restoration of article 370 and 35 A was imperative for the normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir as the people feel that their rights have been snatched by the BJP government at the centre.

Meanwhile KNO news agency while reporting about the joining of these mainstream political leaders to Sajad Lone’s Peoples Conference has said, Addressing the press conference, Sajad said that he welcomes all the three senior political leaders in the party fold with an open heart and is hopeful that the huge political experience of the trio will help the party serve in a more better way.

“I welcome three top political leaders into the PC, which is a caravan of change,” Sajad said as per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO). “The trio who have loads of political experience will play a pivotal role in making the PC more vibrant across J-K.

Sajad said that the entry of Bukhari, Mansoor, and Alam will help PC deal with the prevailing “extraordinary situation” and also play a constructive role to navigate through troubled waters. “They have been ministers, MLAs and MLC’s. I am hopeful that PC will gain a lot out of their experiences,” a visibly upbeat Sajad said.

To a query about the restoration of Article 370, Sajad said that he doesn’t believe in lies and rather likes to speak candidly. “Let me tell you honestly that there are only two ways of getting Article 370 back—Judiciary or the Parliament. We were the first party to challenge the decision in the Supreme Court. That seems to be a long battle. Beyond this, we can’t even dream of getting it back. On the other hand, we need to engage with the people of India by removing all bottlenecks of miscommunication. We need to meet opposition, people in government, and civil society,” the PC chief said. “There is a space. The mission is difficult but not impossible.”

Pertinently, a few days ago, former deputy chief minister of erstwhile J-K and the senior-most PDP leader Muzaffar Hussain Beigh also joined the PC.

About the Sopore attack where a municipal councilor and a policeman were killed, Sajad said: “Such acts can only be carried out by the enemies of Kashmir. We have always condemned such attacks.”

Speaking on the occasion, Basharat Bukhari and Peer Mansoor Husain said they were happy to join PC as they believe by joining the party they can serve the people in a much better way. “I want to say here that I had a great experience of being part of NC for almost over two years. I was happy there, but at times you are being made accountable to even your own family members. There is nothing wrong in moving from one party to another for growth,” Bukhari said.

Mansoor termed Sajad as a man of principles, who has “out of box ideas.” “I met Sajad sahib in jail and had a great time to understand him. Perhaps I am the first person to join PC from South Kashmir,” said Mansoor. Alam, however, preferred not to speak on the occasion. Mansoor was considered as a close confidant of PDP chief Mehbooba, while Alam too was the most trusted leader of PDP chief.

With inputs from KNO

 

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