New Delhi: Speaking at an event ‘Understanding Kashmir’ in Delhi, organized by the Bureau of Research on Industry and Economic Fundamentals, and also about the various issues and the recent arrests of separatist leaders in Kashmir, J&K CM Mehbooba said this is only containing the situation but not resolving the issue.
She said: “We need to find what exactly is going on in the mind of a teenager, what is compelling him to do it (throw stones). We need to replace the idea of azaadi with another idea, a better idea, but are we ready to do that? We may be able to contain the present situation but there still is so much distrust,”
Reacting on the removing the special status granted to J&K, she said either the special constitutional status of Jammu and Kashmir is cancelled or the Permanent Resident Act (35A)- a provision that empowers the state’s permanent residents is revoked, there will be “no one to shoulder the Indian flag in the Valley”, stating that J&K “would not exist” without the special status it is accorded.
“Main kehti hun ki agar special status nahi hota to Jammu Kashmir nahi hota. Kashmir ek special state hai aapko use special treatment dena hai. The idea of India is not complete without the idea of Kashmir. But to accommodate the idea of Kashmir we have special provisions. Let’s not forget that,” said Mehbooba.
Speaking on the recent arrests of separatists in Kashmir, she said that NIA arrests are “administrative measures, and administrative measures only contain the issue — they do not resolve it.”
DGP SP Vaid, Srinigar told the media “All law enforcement agencies were in unison. We have no differences. We did support them (NIA). When the raids were conducted, the Jammu and Kashmir Police was with them.”
Speaking at the conference she emphasized that the idea of ‘Azaadi’ must be replaced with a something better than that, she asked, “Are we ready to do that? Or are we depending more on administrative measures or security measures to tackle the situation” adding, “We have seen it for the last 70 years that we have not been able to address the real problem.
“In a state where people are asking for azaadi, if you want to take away what they have (the special status), this system will not work,” said the Chief Minister.
She further added that not alone India but Pakistan also needs to play an important role in the process “that was revived by Modi when he went to Pakistan, but unfortunately it was not reciprocated. But we can’t give up.”
Stating that PDP–BJP alliance in the J&K has been put together “with the belief and hope that we will be able to revive the magic of Vajpayee ji’s time.”
Speaking of PM Modi’s leadership she said he has the potential to rise and mark his name. She said the idea of India is incomplete without the idea of Kashmir.
Speaking about the alliance between the two parties she said, “… I would not blame the BJP leadership alone. The circumstances did not give us enough time to work on those things.”