Mehbooba's frustration is understandable

PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti's recent rantings against BJP are contrary to the current positive developments in both the Union territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh.

New Delhi, Jan 9: Conveniently forgetting that she was running a coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir with the help of BJP, People's Democratic Party (PDP) chief and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has claimed that BJP would destroy the country's Constitution and replace the tricolour with a saffron flag.

Speaking at a function to observe the death anniversary of her predecessor and father Mufti Mohammed Sayeed last Saturday, she also talked a lot about his father's achievements but again conveniently forgot to mention the saga of massacre and resultant exodus of Hindus from the State in 1989 when Mufti the senior was the Home Minister of the country at that time.

It is noteworthy that Mehbooba Mufti was the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir for a tenure of three years. It was a coalition government under a post-poll alliance with BJP between 2015 and 2018. But later, they fell apart and BJP walked out of her government citing worsening situation in Kashmir Valley and ideological incompatibility.

Modi govt in action

The State was then put under President's Rule as no other party or alliance was in a position to form a government. A year later, BJP came back to power at the Centre after a landslide victory in the general elections riding on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's charisma. The reinvigorated Modi government then scrapped Articles 370 & 35(A), which used to give special powers to the State, and bifurcated it into two Union territories - J&K and Ladakh.

In the next three years, the BJP government at the Centre hit hard on terrorism, tamed the perpetrators and reined in their masters sitting in Pakistan through effective diplomacy. At the same time, it brought humongous development to the newly formed UT through a number of welfare schemes. Now, the people of J&K are seemingly happy as tourism has bounced back and peace prevails all around.

However, all these positive developments have not gone down well with the leaders like Mehbooba Mufti, who were looting the State day in day out under different pretexts. Now, they are spewing venom against the same BJP with whom they shared the spoils of power. Mehbooba Mufti in particular is too bitter about the developments as BJP has snatched its core constituency - the terror-infested Valley, where she once spoke the language of Pakistan to garner votes and remain in power.

Separate Ladakh issue

At a time when most of the stakeholders are happy with the bifurcation, Mehbooba Mufti has alleged BJP "bulldozing the Constitution". She still rants that "Ladakh is an integral part of J&K" and dubs it as "unconstitutional", totally ignoring the feelings of the people of Ladakh. Her frustration is understandable in view of the felicity expressed by the Ladakhis on the issue.

Speaking on the issue in Parliament the other day, Ladakh MP Jamyang Tseing Namgyal elaborated upon how the people in his constituency are quite happy with the decision of the Modi government. He pointed out that they were demanding it since the formation of the State of J&K in 1948 as they never wanted Ladakh to be assimilated in it. But successive governments turned deaf ears to their plight. He went to the extent of saying that Ladakhis were living a life second class citizens in J&K before bifurcation. So it's like a dream coming true for them and they are glad that their long-pending demand has been realised after about 70 years.