Protect JK’s special status: Mufti cautions New Delhi

Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed on Saturday asked New Delhi to protect the special status granted to Jammu and Kashmir in the Constitution of India.

“The special status of our State should be maintained. Be it PDP, National Conference, Congress or other parties everybody wants Jammu and Kashmir should have special status within Indian Constitution,” Sayeed said addressing August 15 function at Bakshi Stadium here.

The Chief Minister’s emphasis on protecting J&K’s special status comes at a time when State Government has received a notice from Supreme Court seeking its response on a petition challenging Article 35A of Indian Constitution.

The petition filed by an RSS-backed think-tank has once again brought into focus the debate on J&K’s special status and demand by BJP and RSS groups for its abolishment.

Without explaining, Sayeed said J&K had witnessed “some phases” in its history which shouldn’t have happened at all.

“But Mufti Muhammad Sayeed supports the conditions on which State’s leadership of that time joined hands with India,” Sayeed said.

The Government had put in place stringent security measures to ensure smooth I-Day function. A 3-tier security was put in place around Bakshi Stadium and all roads leading towards the venue were completely sealed.

This morning, the Government also suspended all mobile networks and internet services across Kashmir as a security measure.

Sayeed praised National Conference founder late Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah’s decision to convert Muslim Conference into National Conference saying people of J&K had shown the way much before India got independence in 1947.

Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, PDP President Mehbooba Mufti, her elder daughter Irtiqa and Sayeed’s wife Begum Gulshan were among the dignitaries sitting in the first row of VIP gallery.

Sayeed said the two-nation theory of Pakistan founder Qaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah was “rejected by people of J&K much before India’s independence”.

“Our stand was reflected in the 1938 convention at Sopore in which Muslim Conference was converted into National Conference and when people decided to go with India,” Sayeed said as Omar, grandson of late Sheikh Abdullah, listened while sitting besides Mehbooba in the gallery.

The Chief Minister credited Sheikh Abdullah for putting state on track of development, saying that in 1975 the NC founder while “accepting the ground reality” again took over the reins of the state.

Making a mention of “flourishing democracy” in India and her “growing economy and vibrant institutions”, Sayeed said Pakistan was “still fighting for its political existence.”

There was, however, no mention of separatists in Sayeed’s 30-minute speech and the word Kashmir issue too didn’t figure in it.

Seeking time from people of J&K before judging him and his Government, Sayeed said there was a “talk around that Mufti has joined hands with Modi”.

He said during 2014 Assembly elections, people of Jammu gave their verdict by voting for one particular party.

“I respected that verdict by forging an alliance with that party. It is an opportunity for us to bring Kashmir, Jammu and Ladakh together,” he said.

The Chief Minister said five months was too little a time to judge performance of his Government but adequate to test its intentions which have been “displayed amply and clearly”.

“Be patient and give my Government a chance to prove itself,” he asked people.

Mufti said when he assumed power for the first time in 2002 he initiated a process of dialogue and reconciliation which ultimately led to start of cross-LoC trade and travel.

Now, he said, there was a need to take the initiatives to the next level by promoting tourism and pilgrimage between the divided parts of Kashmir.

The Chief Minister enumerated steps taken by his Government on developmental front after coming to power this year.

“Resources are not a problem for me but I want to take everyone along. We suffered heavy damage during last year’s floods… I will not rest till every flood victim is adequately compensated,” Sayeed said.

Talking about infrastructure development in JK, Sayeed said at least 1100 kilometer road length would be macadamized during this year.

Sayeed said his government was planning to set up maternity facility in all 87 Assembly Constituencies of the State and creating new health infrastructure.

The Chief Minister said he has nurtured a vision of a J&K which is peaceful and progressive. The “basic sketch of this vision,” he said, was drawn in 2002 with people voting for a change.

Earlier, the Chief Minister unfurled the tri-color and was given a guard of honor followed by march past in which contingents of forces, police and school children took part.