Centre promised to make J&K safe, but its policies made Delhi unsafe; time to open doors of dialogue: Mehbooba

SRINAGAR: The Centre promised to make Jammu and Kashmir safe, but its policies made Delhi unsafe, said PDP supremo and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, referring to the recent blast in the national capital which claimed 13 lives and left several injured. She urged the Centre to revisit its Jammu and Kashmir policy. She urged the government to open the doors of dialogue to heal the wounds of people. You told the world, everything is fine in Kashmir. But you saw Kashmir's problem echoed in front of Red Fort. You had promised that you would make Jammu and Kashmir safe but you have made Delhi unsafe due to your policies, Mehbooba said while addressing a Working Group meeting of the party in Srinagar on Sunday. There is an atmosphere of fear in Jammu and Kashmir, especially in the valley after the Delhi blast, she noted. Referring to the blast in which Dr Umar, the alleged suspect who was also blown to pieces, near Red Fort on the evening of Nov 10, Mehbooba said, When our educated youth, doctors (who are the cream of the society), prefer death over life, then it is a very serious matter for all of us. There is so much fear right now in the Valley as if all Kashmiris were involved in the blast. Such a situation has been created as if all Kashmiri people were involved in it, she maintained. We too live in the country. Kashmiris have attached themselves to this country. So, for God's sake, change your policy. After 2019, all the doors were closed. There is no dialogue. Only UAPA, PSA, SIA, SUI and raids and arrests. Without this, nothing happens in J&K, the PDP chief said. Mehbooba pointed to the incident in Qazigund where a father set himself ablaze after his son and brother were arrested by the police in connection with the Delhi blast. She said whether they were involved in the case or not has to be decided by the investigating agencies. But if that father was allowed to meet his son for two minutes he wouldn't have resorted to the extreme step. Referring to Article 370 abrogation, Mehbooba said, The peoples rights were taken away in 2019 and J&K was turned into an open jail. You know you have cheated people of Jammu and Kashmir after 70 years. Today, the youth, who earlier used to pick up stones and guns, now has become suicide bombers... Mehbooba said people of the whole country and leadership would have to think where they have made the mistake? We used to say that we took stones and guns from the hands of youth and gave them laptops. But today we don't see this. She said there is a pressure cooker like situation in J&K and it will come out from somewhere. If Jammu and Kashmirs doctor uses RDX and blasts himself and kills others, then there is no safety in the country. You will get votes by raking Hindu-Muslim issues but where will the country go? The former CM said the central government will have to change its policy and reach out to J&K people. I want to request the Prime Minister that you have been voted for the third time. You had promised that you will follow Vajpayees path to resolve J&Ks problems but you did totally the opposite in 2019 and since then you have been doing the opposite she said. I want to tell the youth, who do this, that what you do is wrong in every way. It is dangerous, not only for you but for your family, for the whole of J&K and for the whole country. You are educated and you should not end your life like this and destroy the lives of others. I also want to tell the government, political parties and religious institutions to come forward and tell these youth to live and work for the prosperity and development of J&K, she summed up.