Jammu: Independent lawmaker Engineer Rasheed has asked Mehbooba Mufti that instead of creating a ‘hue and cry’ over Indian channels spreading hatred regarding Kashmir, she should ban their telecast in the state.
“If Mehbooba Mufti truly believes Indian TV channels are a part of the problem, who stops her from banning telecast of these channels within the premises of J&K. while Omer Abdullah, who claims to be champion of freedom of speech needs to be reminded how he banned the local TV channels, Mehbooba Mufti should dare to close all those channels in J&K which she believes are creating hatred and anger,” Rasheed said in a statement.
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The MLA of Langate area trashed the verbal dual between Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah in the legislative Assembly on Friday and accused them of not learning anything from their past mistakes.
“The two leaders leave left no stone unturned to score points over each other without caring about the authenticity of what they speak. When Mehbooba tries to justify continuation of AFSPA by giving the logic that had previous Govt. started withdrawing AFSPA from some places, today it would have been easier for her to do more, carries no weight. She in fact wants to pass the buck on Omar Abdullah over AFSPA and he in return makes counter allegations,” Rasheed added.
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His statement further added, “The only purpose of these arguments and counter arguments is to maintain status-quo and gain power. If Mehbooba confesses her helplessness in removing AFSPA, it is ample proof that even after 29 long years New Delhi has failed to manage its writ on ground and the draconian AFSPA is the only tool to ensure New Delhi’s authority in J&K. it is not Mehbooba’s but New Delhi’s surrender that despite claiming J&K its integral part it doesn’t dare to revoke AFSPA even from a small town.”
Rasheed also rejected Omar’s attacks on PDP for its alliance with BJP and asked him not to treat people of J&K like ‘ornaments’ of his drawing room as they can’t forget that it was National Conference which first took power from congress in 1975 by burying plebiscite movement.
He accused that it was NC which ‘imported’ BJP in Kashmir when Omar Abdullah became a Junior Minister in then BJP rule.