Srinagar: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday criticized the National Conference (NC) for bypassing leadership from South Kashmir in favor of a candidate from Central Kashmir for the upcoming parliamentary elections.
Addressing people in Kulgam, Mehbooba questioned the NC’s decision, highlighting the significance of South Kashmir in the political landscape of Jammu and Kashmir. “During the entire political career of the PDP founder Mufti Mohammad Sayeed always made strenuous efforts for this place and made South Kashmir the crown of the entire Jammu and Kashmir,” she said. “It was during his brief tenure as Chief Minister that he repealed POTA, ended the Ikhwan culture and Task Force, established new colleges and universities including the Islamic University, opened roads across the LOC, and initiated Confidence Building Measures and dialogue.”
Mehbooba, however, said that it was unfortunate that national conference undermined the representative character of south Kashmir , a region she regards as pivotal due to its historical contributions and notable leaders. She expressed regret that the NC failed to field a candidate from South Kashmir, a region that produced prominent leaders like Syed Qasim Sahab and Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. “This South Kashmir has given two of the tallest and most honest leaders and Chief Ministers. The entire South Kashmir is known by the name of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, but the question is, couldn’t the National Conference find a single candidate from South Kashmir to represent it in the parliament? Why did they have to bring a person from Central Kashmir?” she questioned.
Mufti also criticized the performance of NC MPs elected in 2019, including Hasnain Masoodi, Mohammad Akbar Lone, and Dr. Farooq Abdullah. She questioned their effectiveness in addressing critical issues in parliament, particularly concerning the unconstitutional measures taken in Kashmir post-2019 and the plight of the youth languishing in jails. “Did they ever raise a voice in parliament about our youth languishing in jails, the unconstitutional measures taken in Kashmir post-2019, the way Jammu and Kashmir has been turned into an open-air prison? Did those MPs ever raise a voice against such measures?” she asked.
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