Farooq desperate to see PDP withdrawal than troop cut: Mehbooba

Srinagar, Oct 29 (UNI) PDP president Mehbooba Mufti today said former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah was more keen and ''desperate'' to see the withdrawal of her party from the ruling coalition rather than demilitarisation of the state.

Addressing a public gathering at Pakherpora in central Kashmir district of Badgam, she welcomed Dr Abdullah's statement hinting at his party's support for the people's demand for reduction of troops and revocation of the special powers in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief said the compulsions of the situation could clearly be seen between the lines in the latest observations of the National Conference (NC) patron on the issue.

''It is a known fact that the NC has never been supportive of the troop cut demand with conviction. Dr Abdullah's recent remarks on the issue seems to be his party's political necessity after having initially opposed any such move tooth and nail and even ridiculing the PDP for raising its voice on reduction of forces,'' she added.

Ms Mufti said Dr Abdullah's statements suggested that he was more keen and ''desperate'' to see the PDP leaving the Congress-led coalition government rather than withdrawal of armed forces from the civilian areas in the state.

It was unfortunate that the NC, having ruled the state for almost past six decades and led its people from one failure to another, has now been accusing others of the problems, which were its creation, she said, adding the NC leaders were now going from door-to-door apologising for their misdeeds.

''They keep on apologising to Pakistan for accession to India, to people of Jammu and Kashmir for everything from rigging elections to institutionalising corruption and of late for aligning with Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.'' The PDP chief said at the same time they were blowing their own trumpet for having done wonders to the state's destiny. ''In fact, the NC, over the years, has just been exploiting the faith that the innocent people of the state had reposed in them. They had made personal fortunes out of that sacred mandate,'' she added.

About former Chief Minister's accusations against the PDP, Ms Mufti said the people were the best judge and they had already ''dumped and written-off'' Dr Abdullah as one of ''the misfortunes'' that was ''foisted'' on the state only to add to its miseries.

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