Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday justified her party's alliance with the BJP, saying any link-up on the contrary would have disastrous consequences in the sensitive State. She likened the situation with rigged Assembly elections of 1987 when the popular mandate was not respected, which resulted into emergence of militancy in subsequent years.
Mehbooba was winding up discussions on the Motion of Thanks on the Governor's address in the legislative Council here. She reiterated her Government's commitment for return of Kashmiri Pandits and their resettlement in composite colonies, but maintained that no land has been earmarked in any part of Kashmir Valley to set-up an exclusive colony for former soldiers of the Indian Army.
She said that the sole aim in her life was to appease her late father and make him happy.
She said the ‘Agenda of Alliance’ outlines a comprehensive roadmap for PDP-BJP coalition Government and it will be implemented in letter and spirit to address the challenges confronting J&K.
"I am confident that if we succeed in implementing the 'Agenda of Alliance', it will take care of most of the problems J&K faces, such as the decades’ long political uncertainty, economic deprivation, development deficit, unfulfilled aspirations and mounting unemployment," Mehbooba said.
She said the PDP has entered into an alliance with the BJP to seek national reconciliation on the political and economic challenges confronting Jammu and Kashmir. She said the purpose of this alliance is to catalyse reconciliation and build confidence within the State and across the line of Control (loC) to create an enabling environment for sustainable peace, all round economic development and prosperity of J&K.
Mehbooba launched salvo on opposition National Conference and accused the party of bartering the resources of Jammu and Kashmir for power.
"When Omar Sahab became the External Affairs Minister, what was his agenda. You joined hands with the BJP and what did you get in returnIJ You gave away our power projects in lieu of power and chair. You should tell this house why you joined hands with them at that time. Show me a document that you had with the BJP that your party will deliver on such and such issue. We had a charter for 2002-2005 government and we have a similar agenda in this government," Ms Mufti said.
Mehbooba targeted separatist leaders for 'encouraging' stone-pelting on Fridays. "This brand of Islam is not acceptable to Kashmiri people. Who wants to go to mosque on Friday to listen to sermons but eventually get hit by a stone that could be even fatal," she said.
Mehbooba also regretted that he 'cat and pigeon' remark regarding the return of Kashmiri Pandits was blown out of context. "My remarks were distorted. Kashmiri Muslims are fed up with violence. Kashmiri Pandits aren't afraid of their neighbours. They are afraid of those who perpetrated Wandhama massacre and killed leaders like Abdul Gani lone and Mirwaiz Mohammad Farooq," she said.
Mehbooba said that her government was committed to get smart cities for Srinagar and Jammu cities besides ownership of hydroelectric power projects. She referred to a Kashmiri adage and said that it was courageous to hand over power projects to New Delhi but it would be 'magic' to get them back. "I asure you we will get them (power projects) back," she said.