‘Mehbooba disturbed on losing power, facing criticism within her PDP’

JAMMU: Calling former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti's statement "irresponsible", the BJP today asked her to apologise to the party and asserted it has never conspired to pull out of any government or split any party.

BJP leader and former deputy chief minister Kavinder Gupta said Kashmir is India's crown and his party will never play with it. He blamed the Congress for the Kashmir problem.

"It is the most irresponsible statement by her. She was disturbed after losing power and open criticism from party legislators. She should take back her words and seek an apology (from the BJP)," Gupta told reports in Jammu.

He was reacting to Mufti's statement that any attempt by the BJP government at the Centre to engineer a split in her party would have "extremely dangerous" consequences.

"...If there are any attempts to engineer a split in the PDP like it was done in 1987 to commit robbery on people's vote and to crush the MUF (Muslim United Front), the results will be extremely dangerous," Mufti said. She also recalled that the events post the 1987 assembly elections "created" Syed Salahuddin, the chief of Hizbul Mujahideen, and Mohammad Yasin Malik, the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front head.

Criticising Mufti, Gupta said it was unfortunate that senior politicians were issuing "misleading statements which are hostile to the process of peace and national interests".

He condemned her claim that the situation in Kashmir would again go back to the days of late 80s and early 90s.

"BJP never indulged in acts to pull down governments or split parties. BJP was not in power in 1987 but they were the people who were in power or their friends," he said.

He said the BJP represents a nationalist approach and considers Kashmir as the crown of the country.

"The Congress leadership created the Kashmir problem," he said.

On Mufti's criticism by her own legislators, the BJP leader said it was the internal matter of the party but blaming others would like "agitated cat scratching the pole".
"We can understand the humiliation and disturbance of her mind because of the outburst of her own legislators who have come in public against the family rule. She should sit with them and sort out the issue instead of pointing fingers on us," he said.

He said after the BJP withdrew support, PDP legislators came out openly against Mufti for promoting "nepotism and compromising with the core issues within the government and their party".