'Insecurity among Muslims after Varanasi blasts'

Srinagar, Mar 14: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chief Mehbooba Mufti today (Mar 14, 2006) expressed dismay over recent incidents of violence in various parts of India and claimed that this had led to a sense of insecurity among a section of the society.

She called for strenuous efforts to uphold, maintain and preserve the secular ethos of the country.

In a statement here, Ms Mufti said it was appreciating that the people maintained communal harmony even after blasts in Varanasi.

However, she said it was disturbing to read some media reports suggesting that certain sections of the society, particularly the minorities, were harassed during investigations of these incidents.

It would not be advisable to view the entire community with suspicion for isolated incidents committed by stray elements, Ms Mufti said, adding this would not only alienate the minorities, but provide an opportunity to vested interests to defame the country.

''The same applies to Kashmir where majority of people desire for a peaceful and dignified life and want that their all political, social and economic aspirations are addressed to,'' she said.

The PDP President said not more than two per cent population of Jammu and Kashmir resorted to gun while the remaining 98 per cent which includes 70 per cent Muslims preferred a peaceful life.

She called for isolating and alienating the mischievous elements so that the country continued its march on the path of development.

Referring to her recent speech in the Lok Sabha during the course of budget discussion, the PDP Chief said she pleaded for the significance of economic self-reliance for Jammu and Kashmir.

''The status of the state, which it enjoys as per the instrument of accession, has been eroded from time to time after 1947 and the adverse results in the shape of polarisation on economic and political front are quite clear,'' she said and stressed the need for addressing the problem keeping in mind the ground realities.

Ms Mufti expressed the hope that broader consensus would be evolved on her party's self-rule concept. The concept was the most practical solution to assuage the feelings and encompassed both political and economic aspirations of the people of all regions and shades of opinion in Jammu and Kashmir, she added.

The PDP Chief said economic progress and the well-being of the people of the state should be the important constituent of any solution or package.

About the recent developments, Ms Mufti said at the recently held round-table conference in New Delhi, the PDP delegation presented to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh a memorandum, which contained the broad contours of the concept.

The main facets were restoration of status of the state as per the instrument of accession, declaring Jammu and Kashmir as a free trade zone, compensation of losses suffered due to the Indus Water Treaty, handing over internal security to local police, transferring Salal and Uri hydel projects to help the state get out of energy crises and FDI in key areas so that socio-economic profile improved.

UNI

Related Story