People’s Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday alleged that attempts were being made to ensure that fewer people vote in the ongoing elections in the state.
“Such efforts are aimed at dividing votes of migrantPandits,” Mufti told party workers at the Circuit House in Shopiandistrict. This was her first party workers’ meeting in the area ever since thegeneral elections were announced on March 10 this year.
Making the defence of Article 370 and 35A as central plankof her campaign, Mufti said that she was fighting the election to safeguard theunique identity of state of Jammu and Kashmir.
“These elections are not for the construction of roads,streets or electric poles but for the protection of our rights and for this itis imperative that my voice reaches out to the parliament,” Mufti said.
She said that during partition Hindu majority states wentwith India, while Muslim dominated states merged with Pakistan. But, she said,that Maharaja and late Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah chose to accede with India on certainconditions.
“We have special rights, we have our own constitutionand flag. We could do jobs anywhere outside or purchase land.These were thespecial conditions,” she said and warned that if the special position ofthe state was eroded, the non-state subjects would be able to purchase land inthe state. “They will spend crores to buy our orchards. If we lose ourstate subject rights we will no way remain the same as we are today,”Mufti said.
Mufti said that her party had already seized a lead over heropponents in district Anantnag, which went to polls on Tuesday and said thatthe next state government would not be formed without PDP.
Upbraiding the Congress party candidate Ghulam Ahmad Mir forraising the pitch for safeguarding the special position of Jammu and Kashmir, Mufti asked why Ghulam Nabi Azadtransferred hundreds kanals of land to Amarnath Shrine Board during his rule.”To revoke the land transfer order, we had to overthrow the government,”Mufti said.
She also take a jibe at National Conference candidateJustice Hussnain Masoodi.
“There are many candidates in the fray. I don’t want tospeak about them. There is a candidate who gave a verdict in Asiya-Nelofar caseand what was the decision we know that well?” Mufti said.
Mufti exhorted upon her workers to cast their ballot andelect her to the parliament.