J-K was laboratory for BJP, entire country risks Kashmirisation: Mehbooba Mufti

Patna: Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday said the state she had ruled, now stripped of its special status and divided into two Union territories, was a "laboratory" for the ruling BJP at the Centre.

Talking to reporters here a day after the opposition meeting, Mufti voiced fear of "Kashmirisation" of the entire country if the party returned to power.

"There is, indeed, an attack on the idea of India. It was most evident when they abrogated Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and put its leaders, including three former chief ministers, in jail", said Mufti, who was the last CM of the state.

"J-K was a laboratory. What we see in Delhi today, by way of the central ordinance, started much earlier in our state. Unfortunately, few people understood it back then", alleged Mufti, who heads the People's Democratic Party.

"The BJP, if it returns to power in 2024, will trample upon the Constitution and undertake Kashmirisation of the whole country", said the vice-chairperson of the Gupkar Declaration, who had run a coalition government with the saffron party, before resigning.

On the controversy arising out of Aam Aadmi Party's allegation that Congress “refused” to oppose the ordinance that curtails the powers of Arvind Kejriwal government, despite many parties asking it do so at the meeting, she replied, “That was never the central issue of the meeting . Of course, Kejriwal raised the issue of ordinance, but we all were focused on issues of the idea of India and the assaults on the Constitution. Of course, Congress being a national party has its own way of airing its opinions on sensitive issues after due deliberations. Nobody has a problem with it”.

When reminded that AAP had voted in favour of the bill brought in Parliament that stripped Jammu and Kashmir of its statehood and special status, Mufti said, “it is true that many parties opposed to the BJP then did not realise the implications of what was taking place. But I did not come holding grudges”.

To a query whether there was any consensus on restoration of Article 370 if the opposition parties together succeeded in defeating the BJP, Mufti gave a guarded reply saying, “The fight is to save the Constitution. And Article 370 is a part of the Constitution. (PTI)