CENTRE PLAYING WITH FIRE IN J&K: MEHBOOBA

SRINAGAR: Opposing the creation of a separate division for Ladakh region, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday said the BJP is “playing with fire” by “trying to break the Muslim-majority character of the state”.

She said Muslims of Jammu and Kashmir are being disempowered through an agenda which is pursued by the BJP through governor Satya Pal Malik.

The Jammu and Kashmir government had last week approved the creation of a separate administrative revenue division for Ladakh. This division will comprise Leh and Kargil districts with its headquarters at Leh. The state will now have three divisions—Jammu, Ladakh, and Kashmir. The creation of two posts of divisional commissioner and inspector general of police (IGP) has been sanctioned for the new division. “You (BJP) are trying to break the Muslim majority character of the state. Your aim is to create a divide between ShiaSunni, Gujjar-Pahari, KashmiriPandits and many others. You are playing with fire,” the former CM said.“The situation is already bad in Kashmir and government of India will try to disempower Muslims, but they won’t achieve success,” she added.