SRI NAGAR: Claiming that the ‘darkness’ of Article 370 revocation has engulfed Jammu and Kashmir, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on Monday alleged that the BJP government has put land, jobs and resources on sale. Militancy has increased during the BJP rule and youth have two options either to pick up gun or go to jails, she added.
“After Article 370 revocation, darkness has engulfed J&K. Everybody is worried about the future and their identity. In Kashmir, the situation is bad, but the situation in Jammu is worse than the Valley,” Mehbooba said at a press conference in Jammu after completion of her first visit to the region after her release from over 14-month detention last month.
Article 370 is not the issue of Muslims and Kashmir, she said.
“Article 370 was inserted by Maharaja Hari Singh especially to protect Dogra culture and identity. And when we acceded with India, we acceded on condition that J&K should be given special status so that non-locals cannot purchase our land and take our jobs.”
Maharaja Hari Singh along with Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, she said, had provided a protective shield to the people of J&K through Article 370 and special status.
“But last year, the government took away this protection from us. They have desecrated the Constitution.”
“After Article 370 revocation, BJP has one agenda… how to snatch J&K’s land, employment, jobs, resources. They have put J&K and its resources on sale. They want to bring people from outside at the expense of the locals.”