SRINAGAR — Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday said PDP president Mehbooba Mufti should have stayed home instead of going to Jantar Mantar and justifying the use of force against Kashmiris, and that she should apologise for her remarks.
“Irresponsible” statements made by people who have been in a position of power can act as a deterrent for ordinary people to fight for their rights, Abdullah told reporters outside his private office.
Mehbooba visited Jantar Mantar on July 23 to extend support to the Cockroach Janta Party-led protest against alleged examination irregularities. While opposing police action against student protesters in Delhi, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief appeared to defend the use of pellet guns in the valley in the past, saying that it was different in Kashmir as the security forces were fighting militancy.
The comments drew backlash from rival political parties, including Abdullah’s National Conference (NC). The PDP, however, accused the ruling NC of using artificial intelligence to twist Mehbooba’s statement at Jantar Mantar.
Abdullah said, “When a former chief minister says use of force is justified in Kashmir for fighting militancy, who will come out to fight for their rights? It would have been better if she had not gone to Jantar Mantar.”
“When we (politicians) support oppression and use of force by the Centre, who will support us if people want to protest for the restoration of statehood? They will not come out because Mehbooba ji has said ‘yeh to banta hai (this is acceptable)’,” he added.
The CM said Mehbooba did not visit Jantar Mantar for the NC’s protest to demand the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood, but went there for the students’ protest.
“She did not go to Jantar Mantar for Jammu and Kashmir. But she went there and justified the misuse of power and force on the pretext of fighting militancy.
“How does she justify it? Should the children not get justice because there is militancy? Should passports be stopped because there is militancy? Should laws not be implemented because there is militancy? I could not understand how it is justified,” Abdullah said.
He said the PDP leader has an old habit of singing different tunes in Delhi and back home.
“For a second, let us say that she was trying to please some people there. She has not forgotten the old habit of speaking different languages at different places,” he added.
Abdullah said Mehbooba should apologise for her statement.
“She would not lose stature if she had called you (media) to her office and said she was carried away by emotions and she is sorry for it. Instead of apologising, they are rubbing salt on wounds. One of their MLAs is saying that it is AI. Are we fools?” he asked.
“Now you are challenging the wisdom of the people by saying that it is AI generated. What you said was unfortunate. At least accept it. You have not apologised for the 2015 accord with the BJP and you have not regretted the 2016 situation. Now you are saying it is par for the course,” he said.
On mass detentions following the killing of a policeman in Anantnag last week, Abdullah said the travesty is Mehbooba justifying the use of harassment as a tool for fighting militancy.
“Our problem is that this is what Mehbooba Mufti is justifying. When responsible people ignore ground realities, such things happen. On one hand, we raise (our) voice against these detentions and on the other she goes to the centre of the country and justifies it,” the CM said.
Abdullah said there is no point in her talking against the arrests after she returned to Kashmir.
“She should have spoken about it in Delhi as there was media from all over the country and all eyes were on Jantar Mantar. There she justified it,” he said.
The chief minister said he is against detentions as militancy cannot be ended without the support of the people.
“We might be able to control it to some extent, but we will need the support of people for covering that last mile. If we continue to bulldoze houses, arrest people and oppress people, they will not support us,” he said.
“Imagine how many people are connected with these 2,500 detained people. We have alienated 15,000 people. How will we succeed in the fight against militancy?” he asked.
On the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan as Union education minister, Abdullah said students deserve credit for it as they stood firm for their cause.
“Better late than never. If he had to resign, he should have resigned early. Why wait for so long? This was no one’s victory. Success has many fathers while failure is an orphan. There will be many seeking credit for this, but it is only the students who deserve credit,” he said. — (PTI)