Srinagar, Aug 26 (Representative) Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday said that Article 370 was a bridge between Jammu and Kashmir and India, which the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) demolished.She noted that the same BJP, previously led by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, had acknowledged Jammu and Kashmir as a problem and sought a solution. Mehbooba emphasized that Jammu and Kashmir was an issue, and the abrogation of Article 370 has further complicated it. “The BJP faced a backlash in north Kashmir during the recent parliament elections, where people voted based on the sentiment of plebiscites. The resolution to the Jammu and Kashmir issue lies within the Indian Constitution,” she told reporters. She questioned the similarity between Home Minister Amit Shah’s stance on Article 370 and that of separatists, who also reject the Article. Mehbooba clarified that mainstream parties, including PDP, believe that Jammu and Kashmir merged with India under Article 370, which separatists do not accept. Regarding the Congress-National Conference alliance, Mehbooba said that PDP has previously formed alliances based on a Common Minimum Programme (CMP) and Agenda of Alliance.
She stated that any future alliance would require acceptance of PDP’s agenda, with seat sharing to be discussed later. Mehbooba also addressed the issue of talks with Pakistan, suggesting that a joint representative committee comprising representatives from both parts of Kashmir could meet twice a year to discuss problems. She questioned the government’s stance on not allowing such talks. “If there is so much hatred with Pakistan why Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Lahore then met Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and for what. There should not be any objection to reconciliation between the two countries”, she said and added “even Vajpayee also talked to Pakistan and the separatists in Kashmir also to find out the solution”. Mehbooba also welcomed Jamaat-e-Islami’s (JeI) decision to contest assembly elections as independent candidates and called for the removal of the ban on JeI. She noted that JeI has played a significant role in education and provided commendable service during the 2014 floods and Covid period in Kashmir.