“Some actions and utterances which hurt patriotic sentiments are unpardonable and unforgettable by the people”
Sanchita Raina
In a major development, three top leaders of Jammu and Kashmir Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), TS Bajwa, Ved Mahajan and Hussain A Waffa have submitted their resignation, citing ‘actions and undesirable utterances’ of the Party President, Mehbooba Mufti as the reason behind resignation.
According to the letter they were “feeling quite uncomfortable over some of her actions and undesirable utterances especially which hurt patriotic sentiments”.
The letter, written to the Party President, reads, “We the party colleagues in Jammu region, most of whom remained associated with the party through every thick and thin since its formation, are feeling quite uncomfortable over some of your actions and undesirable utterances especially which hurt the patriotic sentiments.”
It further reads, Late Jenab Muti Mohammad Sayeed had twin broader objectives behind the formation of PDP, “To create a viable political alternative in Jammu and Kashmir to represent the regional aspirations of the people especially in the wake of vacuum in the shape of any mainstream alternative political voice in Kashmir valley and to channelize the dissent especially amongst youth and prevent them from falling in the trap of anti India elements, in adopting the path of destruction, in the absence of any credible platform to represent their genuine feelings.”
The letter stated that secularism and broader interests of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and the interests of the nation were the underlying principles behind formation of PDP.
“The coalition government with Congress performed very well and delivered in accordance with the goals set forth and achieved a lot in the direction of restoration of peace, harmony and ensuring equitable political share and developmental needs of the different regions of the erstwhile beautiful Dogra State, a composition of multiple diversities with multifarious sensitivities and challenges,” it reads.
Over coalition with BJP in 2014, the leaders in their letter to the party president, Mehbooba Mufti, reads, “Then came another bigger challenge due to a unique verdict of 2014 assembly elections. The experienced and visionary leadership of Mufti Mohammed Sayeed took a difficult decision of joining hands with the ideologically opposite BJP. Although he was aware of the difficulties of such a decision but he attempted to convert the challenge into new opportunities in furtherance of his vision for a better future and more harmonious relationship between the people of state within the Indian union, however, the experiment did not work on expected lines but the untimely and sudden death of Multi sahib derailed the whole process.”
They maintained that despite several undesirable developments and steps, they stood like a rock with the party and the leadership inspite of serious reservations on the handling and response to the challenges in front of the party. “Instead of overcoming the challenges from within and outside by a process of broader consultations and trust some elements within the party started pulling the party and leadership in a particular direction, thus deviating from the basic principles, agenda and philosophy, making it further difficult to face the saner voices in the society,” letter reads, adding that some of the actions and utterances are unpardonable and unforgettable by the people, for the party to emerge out and move in the direction of its fundamental approach, and identity besides regaining its image as a political alternative to the people.
Mehbooba Mufti had said last week that her party’s members would not raise the tricolour unless they are allowed to raise the flag of Jammu and Kashmir, the right to which had been conferred on the erstwhile state by the now-defunct Article 370 of the Constitution.
The PDP president, who was recently released from detention, said the relationship of J-K with the national tricolour was not independent of the erstwhile state flag. “When this flag comes in our hand, we will also raise that (Indian) flag as well.” Mufti had said J&K’s flag had been taken away by “dacoits.”
