PDP founder Mufti Mohammad Sayeed had put a precondition before Prime Minister Narendra Modi for government formation in Jammu and Kashmir in 2015, seeking an assurance that Article 370 of the Constitution would not be removed by the Centre, party president Mehbooba Mufti claimed on Monday.
My father was not power hungry: Mehbooba Mufti
Addressing a gathering on the 24th foundation day of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), Mufti said her father Sayeed was not power hungry and wanted to deliver Jammu and Kashmir from its problems and troubles.
"When Mufti sahib had 28 seats (in the 2014 Assembly polls), he met Modi and gave his list of conditions for government formation. He took the assurance from the BJP government (at the Centre) that (Article) 370 will not be touched. He tied their hands. He was not after power, otherwise he would not take three months to form the (coalition) government (in Jammu and Kashmir)," she said.
Mehbooba Mufti slams centre over Manipur situation, nominating Kashmiri Pandits to assembly
Mufti also called on the Centre to resolve the ethnic clashes in Manipur, saying that "we all want to save India. Do not get into number games."
More than 160 people have lost their lives in Manipur in ethnic clashes that have been going on for almost three months.
Mufti hit out at the government for making a provision for nominating Kashmiri migrants to the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, instead of reserving seats for the community.
"You have kept a provision for nominating Kashmiri Pandits. If you have the courage, you should reserve the seats and we will vote for them just like we have done in the past. Constituencies with a Muslim population have elected Pyare Lal Handoo, M L Fotedar, Manohar Koul, D P Dhar etc.
Why no reservation for Sikhs, asks Mehbooba Mufti
"I also want to ask, why no reservation for Sikhs? Because you cannot do Hindu-Muslim (politics) if you give reservations to Sikhs," she said.
The PDP chief said her party is not the problem, but solution to the issue.
"We are not the problem. We are the solution. We want a solution to emerge within the democratic set up," she said.
Mufti asked the party cadre to prepare for the panchayat and other local bodies' elections that are due later in the year.
"The BDC and panchayat elections are due. Take these spaces so that you can serve people," she said.
