Mehbooba slams Farooq over Hurriyat remark
SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday slammed National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah for remarks that his party was not against separatist Hurriyat, saying it showed that the opposition party was behind the violence in the Valley over last few months.
Former J&K CM Farooq Abdullah had asked Hurriyat to unite under a single banner and said his party was with them “at this hour of need”.
Mehbooba said that Abdullah’s statement proved that the NC has been involved in acts like pelting stones at vehicles, burning down of schools and attacks on camps of security forces that took place during the last four-five months in the Valley.
She alleged that the statement showed that with the Valley’s situation gradually improving, Abdullah had told his workers to once again indulge in acts that would deteriorate the situation.
“NC can go to any extent to come to power,” Mehbooba said.
Abdullah, while addressing his party workers at a function to commemorate the 111th birth anniversary of his father and party founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah at Hazratbal on Monday, had said his party was not against the Hurriyat and supported the Kashmiri’s demand for their rights but it would not tread the “wrong path” for achieving these goals.
Mehbooba said Abdullah was not concerned about the struggle because since 1947 till now, “NC has only struggled for power”.
“Even today I feel that, by the statement made on Monday, he has hinted at his workers to not let the situation improve because they want power at any cost,” she alleged.
National Conference on Tuesday alleged that CM Mehbooba Mufti had described protesters and other civilians injured during recent unrest in Kashmir as “criminals” and demanded an apology from her. “The same woman (Mehbooba) who exploited every single funeral of a slain militant as an opportunity for politics (while in opposition) has today transformed into a woman who doesn’t hesitate to call slain civilians as criminals,” said NC) spokesman Junaid Mattu.