Only motive behind Article 370 removal seems loot of J&K: Mehbooba

SRINAGAR — Two days after 11 employees of the Jammu and Kashmir Government were sacked for terror links, including two sons of terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen founder Syed Salahudin, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on Monday said that a child cannot be held responsible for actions of his father without proof, alleging that ‘witch-hunting, criminalisation of dissent is taking the country back.’

She also alleged that the number of employees sacked was underreported at 11, stating that the actual figures are between 20 to 25.

“I’m not supporting anyone. You can’t hold a child responsible for the actions of his father unless and until you have proof. These are not 11 people, they’ve sacked 20-25 this year,” said Mufti, commenting on her tweet on the dismissal of 11 government employees.

“Government of India continues disempowering people of J-K in the garb of pseudo nationalism by trampling the Constitution that ought to be upheld. The abrupt dismissal of 11 government employees on flimsy grounds is criminal,” she added.

Targeting the Central government for its policies, she said that all “policy decisions viz-a-viz J-K are taken with the sole objective of punishing Kashmiris. She had further said, “I’ve said this, again and again, you can capture a man but not an idea. You’ve to address the idea, as Vajpayee ji did. Witch-hunting, criminalisation of dissent is taking our nation back.”

Speaking about the abrogation of Article 370, Mufti alleged that the Centre’s only motive behind this was to ‘loot’ the people of Jammu and Kashmir, adding that people from outside the state are being given top positions at Chenab Valley Power Projects, leading to drain out the union territory’s water and electricity.

She claimed that the erstwhile king of Jammu and Kashmir had brought Article 370 and Article 35(A) to protect the identity of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. “Article 370, 35(A) and Domicile laws weren’t given by a foreign country. Even before the nation gave us these, Maharaja Hari Singh had brought them to protect the identity of the people of J-K. When people decided to be part of India, he said that we have these laws that have to be upheld,” said Mufti.

The PDP chief further said, “But after the abrogation, it seems that the only motive behind this was to loot J-K. People from outside are being given top positions at Chenab Valley Power Projects, our water and electricity are transferred outside. Our transporters are in trouble. They’ve to pay toll tax and what not.”

Taking a jibe at the Centre, Mufti said that inflation and unemployment are rising amid a lack of policies.

Drawing parallels between Gujarat and Jammu and Kashmir, she said that if the onslaught over the economy continues, Jammu and Kashmir’s situation will become worse than Gujarat, in terms of poverty.

“There’s no policy, unemployment and inflation is rising. Earlier, they used to say that J&K is backward, but we’re ahead on several indices. But if their onslaught over the economy continues, our situation will become worse than Gujarat as far as poverty is concerned,” she added.