Former chief minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti Tuesday said that their demand is not the restoration of statehood rather the position enjoyed by Jammu and Kashmir before August 5, 2019.
Addressing the party workers, Mufti as per news agencysaid that the central government has barred them from reaching out to people.
She said that there is complete uncertainty among the people of J&K.
"Despite being a Muslim-dominated state, we didn't go with Pakistan rather decided to remain with secular India. However, today people in Kashmir valley are very uncertain and fear they may lose their land to outsiders," she said.
"When J&K joined hands with India there were some provisions of protection for this erstwhile state under the set provisions of Maharaja that include- no outsider can buy land here. A separate constitution (along with Indian)," she said. "We don't have employment opportunities here other than government jobs and all the jobs will be given to the youth of Jammu and Kashmir only."
Mehbooba said that Kashmiris have always lived under the fear of bullets, be it from Army, or from militants.
"It was only PDP that got a commoner out of the difficulties and not only this we managed to invite BJP's senior-most leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee to J&K for the solution of Kashmir problem," she said.
Referring to late Mufti Mohammad Syed, she said, that he initiated concrete steps for normalcy in J&K and batted for the resumption of trade links with Pakistan. "During Vajpayee's visit to Kashmir Mufti Syed motivated him to bring back the forces deployed at the line of control (LoC) since people never enjoyed the luxury of marriage ceremonies within their homes fearing exchange of gunfire but it was ensured there is a ceasefire," she said.
We managed to hold talks with separatists and Pakistan but soon after Mufti Syed stepped down as chief minister, Congress party ruined the entire process that blemished the efforts put in by PDP," Mehbooba said.
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