Jammu & Kashmir

BJP seeks arrest of Mehbooba Mufti for ‘seditious’ remarks on tricolour

Jammu: Day after former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti said that she would hold the tricolour only after the flag of the erstwhile state of JK is restored, the BJP’s JK unit has demanded her arrest for her “seditious remarks”.

Quoting BJP, a report by news agency PTI said that “no power on earth” can either hoist the state flag again or restore Article 370, which granted special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Addressing reporters for the first time since her release from 14-month detention following the abrogation of Article 370 in August last year, Mehbooba said she will only hold the tricolour after the flag of Jammu and Kashmir is restored.

In an act seen as defiance, the flag of the erstwhile state was prominently placed on a table in front of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president along with that of her party during the presser.

“I request Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to take cognisance of seditious remarks of Mehbooba Mufti, book her for the seditious act and put her behind bars,” the report quoted  Jammu and Kashmir BJP president Ravinder Raina as saying.

“We will sacrifice every drop of our blood for our flag, country and motherland. Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of our country, so only one flag can be hoisted in Jammu and Kashmir and that is the national flag,” he said.

Raina, according to the report, said the party will not tolerate such “nefarious designs” aimed at instigating the people of Kashmir.

“I warn leaders like Mehbooba Mufti not to instigate the people of Kashmir. We will not allow anyone to disturb peace, normalcy and brotherhood. In case anything wrong happens, she will have to face the consequences,” the news agency quoted Raina as having said.

If Kashmiri leaders are feeling insecure in India, they can go to Pakistan and China, he added.

Earlier, Mehbooba said that Bhartiya Janta Party led Government of India is trying to replace the constitution of the country with its party manifesto.

Addressing a news conference on Friday, Mehbooba Mufti, who was accompanied by Abdul Rehman Veeri, Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura and Suhail Bukhari told media persons that the BJP has demolished the constitution of the country.

She said the party has demolished the country’s constitution and has been implementing anti-people acts. However, the current era of “authoritarian rule” will also not sustain forever, saying that Hitler’s rule also culminated.

“Anyone who is raising his or her voice over the abrogation of Article 370 is being suppressed. The fact is that GoI has failed to come up with the expectations of people over development, employment and other mandatory issues and to divert the attention, the government is blocking minorities and also Kashmiris,” she said in her first press conference, 11 days after she was released from 14-month-long detention.

Our fight is not confined for the restoration of Article 370, but for the resolution of Kashmir issue as well. Kashmir issue is an issue and nobody can turn their eye blind towards it,” she said.

Mehbooba added that “those who think we will forget Article 370 are living in fool’s paradise. People have given a lot of sacrifices and we won’t allow the sacrifices to go waste.”

She added that she will be the first person among the leaders to give her blood for this cause in case the need arises. “We (Leaders) are united and people should also fight it in unison. It is not the fight of Dr Farooq, Sajad Lone or any other leader. But of one and all,” she added.

“Since Article 370 was abrogated, the government left no stone unturned to hurt the sentiments of people by taking all the anti-people decisions. They don’t want people of Jammu and Kashmir. People of JK are expendable for them,” she added.

Asked about her statement regarding the flag before the abrogation of Article 370, the former CM said that they are not going to raise any other flag till the flag of Jammu and Kashmir is returned.

“The ruling party has already demolished the constitution as well as the flag as the party used the flag (tricolour) in a pro-rapists rally in Jammu. The flag of Jammu and Kashmir was the only reason behind the relation with the other flag,” she said.

While replying to a query, she said, even if the Jammu and Kashmir is Union Territory or a State, “Mehbooba Mufti is not here for power”.

“We didn’t ally with BJP for power. If you remember my father made a statement on 28 July 2014 wherein he stated that he wants to work for JK people. By forging an alliance with the BJP, my father tried to put jinn into the bottle”. He knew a Tsunami is coming,” she added.

She also stated that it was not the alliance with BJP that led to the abrogation of Article 370 as everything was done from the parliament. “It was the parliament that was misused. Parliament had no right to do this. We stood like a wall for Article 370. It was only because of releasing stone pelters, Jamaatis and returning the bodies of militants to their families that the bonhomie with BJP,” she said.

Asked whether she has any regret of forging an alliance, Mehbooba said she regrets posing a faith on the leaders from that party who have demolished the constitution of the country, who stole everything from JK.

She also added that she has been a street fighter and coming on roads is nothing new for her.

About elections, she said that “Mehbooba has nothing to do with the elections.” However, she said that party leaders will sit together and the signatories of Peoples Alliance will also sit and take any decision accordingly.

She added that BJP is dividing people on caste and religion, but “we have united and will also unite people.”

While replying to a query, Mehbooba said she knows the Article 370 case is currently “subjudice” but you need to create an atmosphere on the ground.

Asked about Geelani’s refusal to talk with the delegation from GoI, Mehbooba said the refusal to meet the delegation led to the huge losses, adding that “It was not a delegation of BJP leaders. If Geelani was not willing to talk, he should have at least allowed them to enter the house. But restricting their entry in the home has portrayed a different picture of Kashmir,” she said.

 

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