Srinagar: PDP leader Iltija Mufti Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the National Conference, accusing it of having a “tactical understanding” with the Bharatiya Janata Party in Jammu and Kashmir. She alleged that the NC has repeatedly compromised on the interests of the people for political convenience and power.
Speaking to reporters, Iltija, who is the daughter of PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti said the National Conference has no moral high ground to speak about public rights or autonomy. “They are power-hungry and care a fig for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Everyone knows the level of corruption that existed in the Auqaf. It was Mufti Muhammad Sayeed who brought transparency to the Wakf Board,” she said.
Responding to recent remarks by NC leaders on the restoration of statehood, Iltija said that the PDP’s struggle was about much more than just statehood. “We don’t belong to a mere Union Territory asking for statehood. We are a people who had our own constitution and flag. Reducing our aspirations to statehood alone is an insult to our history,” she said.
Iltija also took strong exception to NC patron Dr. Farooq Abdullah’s recent statement, where he backed the Speaker’s decision not to allow a discussion on the Wakf law on the grounds that the matter is subjudice. “When Article 370 was being discussed in the Supreme Court, that didn’t stop them from holding rallies and making noise. But now they’re using the court as an excuse to stay silent on the Wakf issue. It’s a lame and dishonest argument,” she said.
The PDP leader alleged that the NC’s silence on critical issues and its selective positioning on matters of public interest indicated a deeper political arrangement with the BJP. “NC and BJP are hand in glove. It’s no secret that Omar Abdullah enjoyed his time with Kiran Rijiju, the very man who tabled the controversial Wakf Bill in Parliament,” she said, accusing NC leaders of playing a double game. [KNT]
