New Delhi: PDP chief and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti tendered her resignation on Tuesday evening and launched a scathing attack against alliance partner BJP, saying the party’s muscular security policy will not work in Kashmir and reconciliation is the key.
BJP, in a sudden announcement on Tuesday afternoon, pulled out of the PDP-led alliance in Jammu and Kashmir, blaming PDP for failing to control the situation in Kashmir.
"I am not shocked as this alliance was never for power. PDP never believes in power politics and we worked for the people," Mufti told reporters after an hour-long meeting with her ministers and party workers at her residence.
She maintained that Jammu and Kashmir was not an enemy territory as being perceived by few. "We had always said muscular security policy will not work in J&K, reconciliation is key," she said.
Mufti began her press conference by raising the issue of Article 370, under which the state enjoys a special status, and said "...we have safeguarded Article 370 and 35-A (of the Constitution) and we will continue to do that".
"We have been able to withdraw 11,000 cases against the stone pelters," she said while listing her side of the story after the BJP pulled out of its alliance with the PDP in the state.
She also mentioned the unilateral ceasefire during Ramzan announced by Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Lahore in 2015.
Mehbooba, who submitted her resignation to Governor NN Vohra, said her party will continue to strive for dialogue and reconciliation in the state.
"I have told the governor we will not go into any other alliance," she said.
The BJP decided to pull out of the PDP-led coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday. The decision comes within days of the Centre deciding not to extend the Ramzan ceasefire in the Valley.
"It has become untenable for the BJP to continue the alliance with PDP. Keeping in mind that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and in order to control the prevailing situation in the state, we have decided that the reins of power in the state be handed over to the governor," BJP's Jammu and Kashmir in-charge Ram Madhav said.
Ram Madhav further said that the "situation in the Kashmir Valley is not right today, there is terrorism and the freedom of press is in danger after the killing of Shujaat Bukhari ji."
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