Politics

Vajpayee became a statesman due to efforts of Mufti Sayeed, says Akhtar

Srinagar: PDP’s senior leader and former minister, Naeem Akhtar on Monday said that the former Prime Minister of India Atal Bihari Vajpayee became a statesman due to the efforts of former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Late Mufti Muhammad Sayeed.

Akhtar said that Late Mufti has created a history as in the past the members were being taken from ‘Sher-e-Kashmir’s party’ but now his party is taking the members from PDP.’

Akhtar on the sidelines of a function on the third anniversary of Mufti in Bijbehara said, the death of Late Mufti has created a void in the Valley which nobody can fill. “During his tenure, Late Mufti in 2002-2005 made a breakthrough on Kashmir issue by compelling the central government under the leaderships of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Dr Manmohan Singh to take steps over the resolution of Kashmir issue,” he said.

He said Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi had a bigger mandate as compared to Vajpayee and he was invited by the Mufti too to Kashmir where he (Modi) promised everything but he failed to tread the path of Vajpayee viz-a-viz Kashmir.

ALSO READ: Come and join us, all the ‘garbage’ in the party is gone: Mehbooba to youth

“Vajpayee became the statesman due to the efforts of Late Mufti,” he said, adding that Vajpayee came to know that he has to walk along with Kashmir so that things will work.

About the leaders resigning from the party, he said that the real asset of the party is its leadership and workers.

“Such kind of situation was witnessed by NC too in the past but the party is still there. Those who left from NC then they are nowhere but NC is still existing. These things happen in the political parties,” he said, adding that Mufti made the situation different in the party as parties like Sher-e-Kashmir’s or those forming new parties are taking the members from PDP.

ALSO READ: Didn’t visit militant family on my own, was invited, says Mehbooba

He said that it is the failure of these parties who resort to poaching now. “It is the time when they should think about their own home,” he added.

However, he added that Dr Farooq Abdullah on the other hand failed to take steps in this regard even when they took over the reins of the State during BJP rule in New Delhi.

About being targeted by the party leaders, Akhtar said “Though I am not a tall leader but people know each and everything. There might be complaints against me but those who target me should also think about themselves.”

“In case I have any difference with the party then I will stay at home and won’t go against the party,” he said.

(With inputs from KNS)

Click to comment
To Top