Agencies

Srinagar, February 14:

People’s Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday alleged that the Centre is ‘playing with fire’ in Jammu and Kashmir by ‘implementing’ BJP’s agenda through Governor Satya Pal Malik and accused the Modi government of ‘trying to break the Muslim-majority character’ of the state. Referring to the administration’s decision to grant a division status to the Ladakh region, the former chief minister said that if the government selectively creates a division, the consequences would be grave.”

Mehbooba said that the Centre has not only selectively created a division by ignoring the Pir Panjal and Chenab Valley but also discriminated in selecting its headquarter. She added that for Kargil, Leh is perhaps farther away than Srinagar is.

The PDP chief demanded that a rotational shift of headquarter in Leh and Kargil as well as a separate division for Pir Panjal and Chenab valley. Mehbooba said the failure to do so would mean there is some hidden agenda to disempower the Muslims of the state and divide them on religious and sectarian lines.

Mehbooba said that it seems that the agenda that PDP didn’t allow BJP to implement is being done through the Governor, who is taking decisions which are against the people and the common sentiment of Jammu and Kashmir.

“The whole country and the Centre should accept that this that Jammu and Kashmir is a Muslim-majority state and the decisions should only be taken after taking care of the sentiments of the larger community as well as the of the minorities,” news agency PTI quoted Mehbooba as saying.

Recently, the state administrative council created Ladakh as a separate division in the state and made Leh as its permanent headquarter, leading to protests in Kargil.

Meanwhile, when asked about her party’s Rajya Sabha member Mohammad Fayaz Mir’s appeal to PM Modi to consider returning the mortal remains of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru and JKLF founder Mohammad Maqbool Bhat to their respective families, Mehbooba said the PDP’s stance had not changed and their mortal remains should be returned.