BJP raising bogey of Pakistan to hide its ‘failures’: Mehbooba Mufti

Hitting back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Friday said the BJP is raising the bogey of Pakistan to hide its “failures”. Her remarks came a day after Prime Minister Modi said the PDP along with the National Conference (NC) and Congress was implementing the neighbouring country’s agenda in Jammu and Kashmir.

“I feel the BJP has failed on every front. They had promised two crore jobs every year which meant 20 crore jobs in 10 years. After indulging in Hindu-Muslim, lynching of Muslims, demolition of mosques, now they remember Pakistan. They are raising these issues just to hide their failure,” she told reporters here.

The former chief minister said if the regional parties had implemented Pakistan’s agenda, then J-K would have been a part of that country.

“In my view, if the Abdullah (of NC) family had implemented Pakistan’s agenda, then J-K would not have been a part of India, but Pakistan’s,” she added. The prime minister on Thursday launched a scathing attack on the Congress and NC alliance following remarks by Pakistan’s defence minister regarding Article 370 and accused the coalition of pursuing the neighbouring country’s agenda.

Pakistani defence minister Khawaja Asif said his country, NC and the Congress are on one page on the issue of J-K’s special status and the restoration of statehood.

At a rally in Katra, Modi had said, “You must stay vigilant. You have to be cautious. Every vote for the Congress facilitates the implementation of the manifestos of the National Conference and the PDP. What are they announcing? “They will restore Article 370 and bring back the era of violence and bloodshed. Maybe there is no enthusiasm about the alliance of the NC and Congress here, but the neighbouring country is very excited.’Unki balle balle Pakistan mein ho rahi hai’ (They are being celebrated in Pakistan)”.

Hitting back, Mehboob said Modi should be thankful to the regional parties. “I believe Modi Ji should be thankful, especially to Sheikh (Abdullah) family. It is because of (NC founder) Sheikh (Mohammad) Abdullah that J-K’s accession with the country took place. “When Omar Abdullah was a minister in the BJP (government), they (NC) brought POTA here, banned Shahtoosh, and BJP even took Omar across the world to show that J-K is not a (political) issue, but only a terrorism-related issue which should be resolved by attacking Pakistan,” she said. “I think the BJP should be thankful to Sheikh family and Omar, he helped them to implement their agenda here when he was a minister,” she added. The PDP president said as far as her family and party were concerned, Modi must remember that the BJP requested her party on two occasions to form government with them. “They remained at our doors requesting us to make government with them first time for two months, and then three months. They said all our condition will be acceptable. We put conditions like Article 370 will not be touched, opening of roads, removal of AFSPA, dialogue with Pakistan and Hurriyat. “They (BJP) came to our doors themselves, like they came to Omar for making him minister. What are they talking about now?” she questioned.