BJP govt failed to handle J-K situation: PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti
Srinagar (PTI): The BJP government has failed to control the situation in Jammu and Kashmir and is now arming locals to further its agenda of creating a wedge between communities, People's Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti said on Thursday.
"Arming people with weapons will only serve the BJP's agenda of creating an atmosphere of fear, suspicion and hatred. It will pit one community against the other," Mehbooba said.
Mehbooba was speaking to reporters in Anantnag district after paying obeisance at the grave of her father, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and People's Democratic Party (PDP) founder Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.
The move to provide arms and ammunition to Village Defence Committees in wake of the Rajouri attack has exposed the BJP's claims that the situation has become normal in Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370, she said.
Mehbooba, also a former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, added, "If that were the case, why bring more security personnel into Jammu and Kashmir? Why arm the local people with weapons?
"This only shows that BJP has failed in controlling the situation. Now they want to harass the people and increase the bloodshed by these measures."
The PDP leader added that the problems in Jammu and Kashmir needed a political solution and could not be resolved militarily.
"No power on earth can win a war against its own people. Jammu and Kashmir is already a military cantonment, there is no dearth of Army here. The Army has discharged its duties well over the past 30 years to the extent that the democratic system was restored and elections to the Parliament, Assembly and panchayats were held. But now, it is not the job of the Army.
"All the security experts and many former army officers maintain that Jammu and Kashmir is a political issue for which there is no military solution," she said.
Highlighting the need for dialogue, Mehbooba said the government was engaged in talks and reconciliation with China even after the neighbouring country committed acts of aggression in Ladakh.
"There cannot be a military solution... China martyred 20 of our soldiers and has occupied 2,000 square kilometres of our land (in Ladakh) but there is dialogue and reconciliation going on there," she added.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Rickelton's ton in vain as SRH beat MI by 6 wickets
Mumbai (PTI): Ryan Rickelton's whirlwind unbeaten ton was overshadowed by Heinrich Klaasen's unbeaten 65 as Sunrisers Hyderabad defeated Mumbai Indians by six wickets in an IPL match here on Wednesday.
Chasing an imposing 244-run target, Travis Head (76 off 30) and Abhishek Sharma (45 off 24) shared 129 runs for the opening wicket to set the platform for SRH.
Klaasen (65 not out off 30 balls) then displayed his all-round hitting abilities to guide SRH home with the help of Nitish Kumar Reddy (21) and Salil Arora (30 not out off 10) in 18.4 overs.
Earlier, Rickelton's knock powered MI to 243 for five.
MI rode on a 93-run stand between Rickelton (123 not out off 55 balls) and Will Jacks (46 off 22) in 7.1 overs for the opening stand to power the side.
MI skipper Hardik Pandya scored a valuable 31 off 15 balls before being dismissed.
Praful Hinge (2/54), Eshan Malinga (1/29), Sakib Hasan (1/39) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (1/31) were the wicket-takers for SRH.
Brief Scores:
Mumbai Indian: 243 for 5 in 20 overs (Ryan Rickelton 123 not out; Praful Hinge 2/54).
Sunrisers Hyderabad: 249 for 4 in 18.4 overs (Travis Head 76, Heinrich Klaasen 65 not out; AM Ghazanfar 2/51).
