Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti in Monday blamed the country’s leadership for the predicament the state has been in over the years. She said there is, however, no quarrel between the people of the state and those living in the rest of the country.
“I don’t subscribe to the view that there is trust-deficit between the people of Kashmir and those in the rest of the country. If there is any such issue, that is between the leadership here and the leadership there,” she asserted while delivering the customary speech at the Independence Day function at Srinagar’s Bakshi Stadium.
She said the leaders of the country, from Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru right up to “present leaders,” committed mistakes vis-a-vis Kashmir. To substantiate her point, she referred to the 1987 J&K Assembly elections which were allegedly rigged by the ruling National Conference-Congress combine.
“Those who would have become ministers and chief ministers were declared losers” and these very people turned to the gun later, she said without, however, mentioning anyone by name.
The chief minister, referring to the pellet gun use by the security forces while containing ongoing turbulence in the Valley that has resulted in maiming and blinding over 400 youth, asked, “What do I need for these IIMs, IITs, law colleges and 5 medical colleges the state is getting when those who would have got enrolled as these have been turned blind ”
