Baramulla, May 16: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Thursday alleged that the “head of administrative affairs” in J&K has summoned officers of a particular community, warning them of dire consequences if they do not support the Bharatiya Janata Party’s “proxy candidates” in Kashmir.
“We fear a 1987-like situation is being repeated,” Mufti said.
Addressing poll rallies in various parts of north Kashmir, she claimed that attempts are underway to repeat the tumultuous 1987 situation in Kashmir, saying that betraying the trust of the youth in the electoral process could have dangerously dire consequences.
Likening the current situation with the 1987 elections, she said, “The PDP chief accused the current government of pressuring officers of certain communities to support the BJP’s candidates indirectly. I am worried it might lead to a repeat of what happened in 1987.”
Mehbooba said that people in Jammu and Kashmir have strong feelings but also understand politics well. “In the past, JeI took part in elections. If there hadn’t been cheating in 1987, things would’ve been different in Kashmir. There wouldn’t have been violence, and JeI wouldn’t have backed out of the elections. Even now, people are being forced before elections, creating a situation like 1947,” she said. “Back then, cheating changed how things went, leading to violence and the Jamaat-e-Islami (JEI) backing away from the elections.”
The former CM said that while the Jamaat-e-Islami is willing to join elections, the government is “using old tricks to silence fair voices”.
“Today’s youth are voting to express their struggles,” she said, warning that cheating in these elections could lead to terrible results.
Mehbooba challenged the National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah’s earlier pledge of unconditional support to the PDP post-2014 elections, citing the NC’s current actions as a breach of trust.
She lamented the “dissolution of the PAGD by the NC”, accusing the National Conference of prioritising party interests over the collective struggle.
In response to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s remarks on Kashmir, Mufti denounced the BJP’s “fear-mongering” tactics and urged respect for the 22 crore Indian Muslims before discussing Kashmir’s status.
She criticised the BJP’s alleged labelling of Muslims as infiltrators and stressed the need to respect the existing citizens before contemplating Kashmir’s fate.
The PDP president said the significant voter turnout in the Srinagar parliamentary polls was indicative of the prevailing discontent among the populace. She underscored the plight of Kashmiri youth imprisoned outside the region and their families’ struggles with the legal system. “This election is an opportunity to secure their release,” she said.
