'Come Down From High Horse': Mehbooba Mufti Jabs BJP, Says Situation In J&K 'Not Normal'

Launching a sharp attack at the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government at the Centre, People's Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti reminded it of the understanding it showed during the peak of unrest in Jammu and Kashmir.

While speaking at a party function in Srinagar, she said, “Thousands of FIRs of stone pelters were quashed; the Ramazan ceasefire was declared. A high-powered delegation was sent to engage with the people of J&K, including separatists, who unfortunately declined the offer. At the time, separatists believed that stone-pelting, burning schools and hospitals, and attacking army camps and police stations would resolve the Kashmir issue. However, things only worsened.”

Mufti urged the BJP to come down from its “high horse” and acknowledge that the situation in J&K is not as normal as it appears. “The façade of normalcy has been created by the force of agencies and the imposition of draconian laws such as the Public Safety Act (PSA) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). But this will not last forever. The government must reconsider its approach, reach out to the people, and build on the confidence-building measures initiated during my tenure,” Mehbooba added.

She also stressed the need to reopen key trade routes, such as Uri-Muzaffarabad and Poonch-Rawalakot, to boost the region’s economy. “As Jammu is increasingly sidelined, the Jammu-Sialkot route should also be revived to provide a market for Jammu’s products,” she said.

Mehbooba Mufti also has called on Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to refrain from endorsing the August 5, 2019, decision in the formulation of business rules for the assembly. She warned that such a move would legitimize the “illegal and unconstitutional” actions taken by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to abrogate Articles 370 and 35A.

In a statement, the PDP President said that despite the Supreme Court’s ruling, many legal experts believe Article 370 cannot be abrogated by any authority, including Parliament. “While the BJP may not restore these rights, it is likely that India, as a nation, will have to do so sooner or later. Any endorsement by the J&K government would weaken this claim and diminish the state’s position. We must keep the argument and narrative alive,” she said.

Mehbooba also questioned the National Conference (NC)-led government’s approach, asking, “What’s the difference between LG rule and the NC government?” She argued that very little has changed on the ground, with crackdowns, repression, and disempowerment continuing unabated.

“The same crackdowns, property attachments, and persecution of the Jamaat-e-Islami continue. Employees are still being terminated, youth are arrested under UAPA, and the misuse of PSA remains unchecked. Kashmiri youth continue to languish in jails outside J&K with no relief. So, what really has changed? The rulers may have changed, but the same cycle of suppression continues just under a new rule,” she said.