World watching us, great responsibility: Mehbooba

Keeps the guessing game going on government formation

People’s Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti today said that not only “our country, but also Pakistan and the rest of the world” is watching how PDP would steer the state through these difficult times.
“It is because we are a responsible political party having faith in the democratic process and are committed to the undiluted conviction to realise the aspirations of the people as well,” she said.
Mehbooba Mufti was addressing a largely attended meeting of her party workers in this south Kashmir town, the Assembly constituency represented by her father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed until his death on January 7.
“Trust me, you knew my father and could believe in him with your eyes shut. That was his stature and commitment to the dignity of the people. Today, I stand here as his daughter and you will have to judge me with your eyes wide open,” she said and then went on to talk about the changing image of the youth of Kashmir.
“Our youth are viewed through the prism of either being gunmen or stone-throwers, but they have the might of the pen with them. That should be known to the world. I am here to work for that,” Mehbooba said. It was almost a recall of her first visit to Pakistan in March 2008 when she made the PPP leader and former Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari say, “We (Pakistanis) want to see pens, not guns, in the hands of Kashmiri youth.”
Mehbooba, who broke down while talking about her father and his dreams, which were “far higher than sitting in the Chief Minister’s chair”, said that like Rajiv Gandhi and Farooq Abdullah, she, too, could have formed the government immediately after the death of Mufti Sayeed, “but would that have been sufficient or would that have led to the fulfillment of the dream of Mufti Sahab?”
Mehbooba said whether it was Pakistan or India or any other country for that matter, they all had their eyes fixed on the PDP. “Everybody knows and understands that even if we are part of the democratic process, we hold the aspirations of people very dear as well.”
Talking about the much-awaited government formation in Jammu and Kashmir, Mehbooba said forming a government was no big deal while hinting that she will continue with their earlier ally, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Mehbooba talked about how Prime Minister Narendra Modi had the people’s mandate and was able to take some bold steps vis-à-vis the relations with neighbouring Pakistan.
She talked about how Modi could visit Pakistan like he had gone to a neighbour’s house to have tea and the former PM, Manmohan Singh, could not during his 10 years in office.
“It was this mandate of Modi my father believed in. We had a mandate in Kashmir and the BJP in Jammu. My father did not want a confrontation between the two regions and believed we could bring peace and reconciliation in the state, country and the region as well by forming an alliance with the BJP,” she said.
Mehbooba talked in length how her father believed in India’s pluralism and religious freedom.