SRINAGAR:
Jammu and Kashmir chief minister
Mehbooba Mufti, who submitted her resignation to governor N N Vohra on Tuesday afternoon, said she was not shocked by the exit of her alliance partner, BJP, from the government.
She said PDP formed the government with BJP only to preserve the special status of the state and build an atmosphere of reconciliation. The PDP president also said that “muscular policy” cannot run Jammu and Kashmir.
“The coalition was tailored for the bigger requirements of the state. But it was not liked by the people. Our aim and the idea for crafting the government with BJP was to ensure talks with
Pakistan, ceasefire, reconciliation, confidence-building measures and push to bring peace in the state,” Mehbooba told reporters at her official residence on Gupkar Road in Srinagar.
Hinting at her “soft approach” towards separatists, Mehbooba said her government protected Article 370 and stood strong in defence against the abrogation of Article 35 (A).
Mehbooba said cases against 11,000 youth were withdrawn during her tenure. She said the Prime Minister visited Pakistan for talks but the dialogue could not move ahead. Even ceasefire was not positively responded, she added.
Mehbooba said her government secured the territorial integrity of the state and addressed the insecurity of the minority communities in a case of cow vigilantism at Rasana in Kathua.
She reiterated that her party had carried out its agenda it had drawn up before forming the government.
The former CM Mehbooba turned emotional and retreated to her official house soon after the address.
Reuters photo