BJP leader accuses PDP of promoting separatism, creating disharmony in J-K

Accusing the PDP leadership of promoting separatism and creating disharmony in Jammu and Kashmir over the decades, senior BJP leader Devender Singh Rana Monday attacked its President Mehbooba Mufti over her party's alleged "dubious politics".

He was reacting to Mufti's remarks that before forming a government with the BJP in the state in 2015, her father and PDP founder Mufti Mohammad Sayeed had put a precondition before Prime Minister Narendra Modi that Article 370 of the Constitution will not be removed by the Centre.

Rana said, "The people of Kashmir are well aware about the dubious role played by the PDP and its leadership in different forms and colours to instigate and exploit the people"

"When it suits the PDP leadership, they can go to any extent in raising communal passions, as they did in 1984 and 1987," Rana said, recalling the years of Mufti Mohammed Sayeed as the union home minister.

Addressing a gathering on the 24th foundation day of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) here, Mufti said on Monday her father Sayeed was not power hungry and wanted to rid Jammu and Kashmir of its problems and troubles.

Rana said the PDP's "close links" with anti-national and subversive elements, especially in 2002 and 2009, are well known.

Rana said whenever self-proclaimed representatives of Kashmir feel politically irrelevant, they raise the bogey of talks with Pakistan, terrorists and separatists.

"However, such a strategy of blackmail and exploitation' has ended under the dynamic and decisive leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi", he added.