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India will be occupational force in J&K, says Mehbooba

Mehbooba warned that if Article 370 is abolished, then India will have no claim over Jammu and Kashmir.
Last Updated 03 May 2019, 13:22 IST

In a hard-hitting speech, regional PDP president and former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti on Thursday said India troops will be considered as “occupational forces” in the state, the day New Delhi revokes Article 370.

“Amit Shah sahab, Mehbooba Mufti aap se keh rahi hai, jis din aap 370 ko khatam karoge, you will be an occupational force in Jammu & Kashmir, jis tarah Palestine pe Israel ka kabza hai usi tarah Jammu &Kashmir main Hindustan ka kabza hoga, agar aapne 370 ko khatam kiya. (Amit Shah sir, Mehbooba Mufti is telling you that the day you scrap Article 370,) you will be an occupational force in Jammu & Kashmir, like Israel is an occupational force in Palestine,” the firebrand PDP chief said while reacting to BJP national president Amit Shah’s recent assertions on Article 370.

Addressing a poll rally in Pattan area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, Mehbooba warned that if Article 370 is abolished, then India will have no claim over Jammu and Kashmir. Shah had recently said that that removing Article 35-A has been in the BJP manifesto since 1950 and it will happen by 2020.

“It has not happened till now as we do not have a majority in Rajya Sabha, but I believe it will happen by 2020. Removing Article 35A has been in our manifesto since 1950, it is our commitment to the people of the country,” Shah said.

However, Mehbooba warned that youth of the Kashmir would give every drop of its blood to fight for their constitutional right. Article 370 grants special status to Jammu and Kashmir, while Article 35A empowers the state legislature to define the states "permanent residents" and their special rights and privileges.

Reacting to Amit Shah’s statement that the BJP ended its alliance with the PDP in Jammu and Kashmir (in June 2018) when the later pressurized the former to repeal AFSPA, the PDP chief reminded Shah “why did he forget that the BJP leaders touched feet of (late) Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and pleaded to form the government with them and accepted all the conditions…”

“Dialogue with Hurriyat, revocation of AFSPA, safeguard of Article 370, talks with Pakistan and separatists and return of power projects. You accepted and signed all these conditions,” she said while referring to ‘Agenda of Alliance’ document signed by the two parties before forming a coalition government in the restive state in March 2015.

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(Published 04 April 2019, 12:07 IST)

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