NC must apologise for ‘secretly’ backing Art 370 abrogation: Mehbooba

Srinagar, Apr 17: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Thursday launched a blistering attack on the National Conference (NC) and its president, Dr Farooq Abdullah, accusing them of decades-long political opportunism and betrayal of public trust.
Her remarks come in response to revelations made in former RAW chief A S Dulat’s new book, which has reignited debates around Kashmir’s political leadership and its shifting loyalties.
Speaking at a public rally in Srinagar’s Sher-e-Kashmir Park, Mehbooba dismissed the disclosures in Dulat’s book as “nothing new”, claiming the people of Jammu and Kashmir have long witnessed the NC’s double standards. “Back in 2014, when PDP was in talks with the BJP, NC leaders were secretly holding late-night meetings in Delhi, offering unconditional support for government formation,” she said.
Taking a swipe at NC patriarch Dr Abdullah, the PDP chief said, “I am not surprised by the revelations in Dulat’s book about Dr Abdullah’s tacit support for the abrogation of Article 370. The NC’s relationship with New Delhi has always been transactional; when in power, they parrot the nationalist line; when out, they cry autonomy and resistance.”
She added that A.S. Dulat has always been close to the Abdullah family, making his disclosures even more telling.
Referring to the “historic betrayals”, Mehbooba reminded the audience of the rigged 1987 elections, widely believed to have triggered the armed insurgency in Kashmir. “The NC stole the people’s mandate for the sake of the Chair, and the price was paid in blood, by our youth, our families, our future,” she said.
On the ongoing Waqf controversy, Mufti criticised the J&K government for maintaining a “studied silence” while the Muslim community across the country voiced their outrage.
Taking a swipe at the Hurriyat Conference’s inaction during the 2016 unrest, she said, “That was a defining moment. Had Hurriyat leaders shown courage and come forward for dialogue, the trajectory of Kashmir’s political future might have been different. Silence isn’t always resistance; sometimes, it’s abdication.”
Mehbooba added, “Today, the fight is not for power or positions; it’s for identity, dignity, and the constitutional rights of our people. Unlike others, the PDP has never bartered those ideals for political crumbs,” she said, drawing a sharp contrast between her party and its regional rivals.