Modi Should Leave Kashmir if he Thinks Special Status Has Caused Loss to State: Mehbooba

Mehbooba said that during two-year stint with the BJP government, she had made it clear to PM Modi that if they mess with Article 370 she will leave the government. 

New Delhi: Responding to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remark on Article 370 being abrogated, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Mehbooba Mufti said that if PM Modi thinks that special status has caused loss to the state, then he should leave Kashmir.

“Agar PM ko lagta hai ki Kashmir khasare mein hai toh phir woh iss khasare ko chhor dein.Agar unko lagta hai ki 370 ke binah par humare rishte ki buniyaad hai…Kashmir ko chhor dein,ab woh kasie chorna chahte hain…kyun khasara mol lena chahte hain itne saalon se,” said Mufti in her no nonsense attitude.

She went on to claim that during her two-year coalition with the BJP government, she had made it clear to PM Modi that if they mess with Article 370 she will leave the government.

She also came down heavily on National Conference (NC) and Congress for their statements now to defend Article 370 when they were involved in weakening the special status of the state.

PM Modi on Friday had said that if Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will be voted back to power then they will abrogate the special status of the State of Jammu and Kashmir. The BJP’s election manifesto and president of the party Amit Shah have also mentioned that the party will abrogate Article 370 and Article 35-A of the Indian constitution.

Mufti also attacked Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad and accused him of weakening Article 370 by allotting land to the Amarnath Shrine Board in 2008.

Mufti is contesting the Lok Sabha elections from Anantnag constituency where the first phase of the three-phase voting was held on April 23. The second phase of voting in Anantnag is scheduled for April 29 and the last phase on May 6.

Mufti is challenged by Ghulam Ahmed Mir of the Congress and Justice (Retired) Hasnain Masoodi of the NC among other candidates.