Mehbooba Mufti accuses NC of widening Kashmir’s divide with rest of India, urges Centre to hold talks.

SRINAGAR: Days after National Conference president Farooq Abdullah made a controversial statement hailing Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts on Kashmir, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti Monday launched an attack on the NC leadership across generations, accusing it of creating distrust between Kashmir and the rest of the country.Addressing party workers in Srinagar on PDP’s foundation day, she said: “NC’s policies, dating back to the days of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, have created a wedge between Kashmir and the rest of the country. Unlike them, my father, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, tried everything to bridge this gap.”“If there is any party that has betrayed Kashmiris, it is NC. As long as it remains in power, there will be no peace in Jammu & Kashmir,” Mehbooba said, urging party members to make efforts to regain power.She said if Kashmiris have suffered over the years, it was because of Sheikh Abdullah, who repeatedly changed his political positions, from supporting Kashmir’s accession to India to raising slogans for a plebiscite and Pakistan.Farooq was following in his father’s footsteps by recently stating that Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts were saving Kashmiris, portraying the neighbouring country as the “saviour” of Kashmiris. “This conveys a message to New Delhi that Kashmiris are with Pakistan and they should be oppressed, arrested and have their passports seized,” she said.“NC’s forte has been to defame Kashmiris since 1947,” she added.Targeting chief minister Omar Abdullah, she said he keeps blaming PDP for his failures, while he has failed to provide jobs to the people.

The PDP chief also trained guns on the Union govt, accusing it of suppressing the voice of Kashmiris. She alleged that the Centre splintered her party after the abrogation of Article 370, “but we are not among those who change political positions”.“The Govt of India must understand that the people of J&Kare the crown of India. If you trample upon this crown, you too will also suffer,” she said.“This is the land of rishis and peers (Sufi saints). If you do wrong to this land, you will not remain safe,” Mehbooba further said, adding: “How long will you govern us through suspicion? You must trust us the way (former prime minister) Atal Bihari Vajpayee trusted us.”She emphasised initiating talks, stating that Kashmiris will not be governed by force indefinitely.