Mehbooba questions GoI’s silence over Kashmir situation

Regional PDP president and former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday questioned the silence maintained by the government of India over the prevailing situation in the Valley.

“Yet again the valley is on edge. It's a travesty that Central government hasn't made efforts to reach out and clarify recent developments,” she told reporters in central Kashmir’s Budgam district.

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“Why the students from NIT (Srinagar) were asked to vacate, why advisory was issued asking tourists and yatris to leave Kashmir, why additional deployment of forces have been done, why Air Force and Army has been kept on high alert? What is the reason for this?” she asked.

Asking New Delhi to make a statement over the issue the former CM said, “Why is government of India silent? Why isn’t anyone from GoI assuring people of Jammu and Kashmir that nothing is going to happen? Where are those who always speak about ‘Kashmirayat, jamhoriyat (democracy) and insanyat (humanity)’. Why are they silent today?” Mehbooba questioned.

The PDP chief, who is meeting party workers in different areas of the Valley since Friday to create awareness about Jammu and Kashmir's special constitutional provisions, vowed that regional parties in the state would unitedly safeguard Articles 370 and 35A.

““We want that workers of PDP, NC, Congress and other parties to unite so that we can be ready to face any situation as and when it arises. We can go to any extent to save the special status of the state,” she said.

Mehbooba declined to comment when asked why NC vice president Omar Abdullah went to meet governor separately. “We won’t make any such statement this time which can affect the unity of political parties,” the PDP chief said.

Amid the growing grip in Kashmir in the wake of build-up of security forces, Mehbooba on Friday night led a delegation of political leaders from different parties to governor Satya Pal Malik, urging him that New Delhi shouldn’t tinker with unique identity of the only Muslim majority state of the country.