Srinagar: After Tasaduq Mufti’s statement regarding the PDP-BJP alliance, senior PDP leader Nizamudin Bhat while supporting the Tourism Minister’s views said that PDP needs to decide its future course of action ‘befitting its sacrifices.’
“The conduct of communal and hawkish elements in BJP is giving serious blow to PDP’s expectations on Kashmir,” said Bhat, in a statement on Friday.
Tasaduq had told the Indian Express that PDP and BJP have ‘ended up being partners in a crime (for which) an entire generation of Kashmiris might have to pay with their blood”.
Tasaduq told the newspaper that the view is not his personal but is the ‘overwhelming sentiment’ within the PDP.
National Conference Working President Omar Abdullah also said that he salutes the honesty of Tasaduq Mufti and added that ‘there are very few instances in politics to make honest statements.’
Bhat added that the attitude of New Delhi is also failing the purpose of alliance between the two parties. “Now is the time that the party decides its future course of action befitting its sacrifice and hard earned reputation as a guardian of people’s honour and dignity,” he said.
Endorsing the sentiments aired by Tasaduq, Bhat said he has represented the large sentiment obtaining in the party’s rank and file.
He said PDP owes its emergence to avowed objectives of peace, and reconciliation and it cannot commit a sin to defeat the mission of its patron or undermine the sacrifices of its people and party workers by compromising on the basic agenda.
He said the PDP had a hope that massive mandate to the BJP at the national level would be used to the advantage of peace and resolution.
“Similarly, it expected that the state will witness a sustainable political atmosphere of harmony and shared concerns. Unfortunately, that is seemingly not happening. On the contrary uncertainty is gripping the state. Conflict is devouring lives and resource,” he said, in the statement.
Bhat said that Mehbooba Mufti is pained over every killing occurring in Kashmir and has been “hiding her tears under the expectation that New Delhi’s will to come up to the promises made at the time of forging the alliance.”
“Unfortunately, her every hope is belied through perpetual betrayals and state reels under the shadow of death and destruction.”
Bhat said while the PDP is sincerely committed to respecting sentiments of the people at large, the cadre is shocked over the episodes taking place which show direct or indirect involvement of hawkish and communal elements in the BJP.
He said PDP cannot be party to anything which is against its commitments and conduct as also its track record of sacrifices.
“Neither can Mehbooba Ji be made to preside over the situation which Tasaduq has rightly admitted is “unknowingly pushing the people into something which they did not deserve”. It is ironical that despite a changing narrative at National level over Kashmir rulers in New Delhi remain unmoved.”
Bhat said if there is no progress on de-escalation of violence and no strategy or urge to resolve Kashmir issue, PDP cannot afford to be a party to tragedies of its own people.
