After People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti said she would raise the Indian tricolour when the “flag of Jammu and Kashmir” is brought back, Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Friday said that “the so-called politicians of Kashmir sometimes tend to be more dangerous than apparently identified separatists”.
“Mehbooba Mufti claims to be a mainstream politician but she has reservations in carrying the tricolour. We have maintained for last several years that Kashmir’s so-called politicians sometimes tend to be more dangerous than apparently identified separatists,” the Union Minister told ANI. Singh added: “They have cultivated the art and craft of swearing by Mother India saying ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ when in power. Once they are out of power they start swearing by Pakistan and questioning the integration of Jammu and Kashmir.”
Earlier in the day, Mehbooba Mufti lashed out at the Centre for abrogating Article 370 and said that she will raise the Indian tricolour when the “flag of Jammu and Kashmir” is brought back.
Addressing her press conference after being released from detention, she said: “My flag is this (points to the flag of J&K kept on the table in front of her). When this flag comes back, we will raise that flag (tricolour) too. Until we get our own flag back, we won’t raise any other flag…This flag forged our relationship with that flag… Our relationship with the flag of this country is not independent of this flag (Jammu and Kashmir’s flag). When this flag comes in our hand, we will raise that flag too.”
She also said that she will not contest any election until Article 370 is restored. “I have been a street fighter. I have no interest in elections. Until our status is back, Mehbooba Mufti will not contest any elections. My struggle will not be for restoration of Article 370, it will be the resolution of Kashmir problem,” she said. “We have acceded to a liberal, democratic and secular India. We are uncomfortable with today’s India,” she said.
WITH ANI INPUTS