Amid Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Kashmir, former Chief Minister and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti launched a scathing attack on the PM, alleging that his visit is merely an attempt to garner support among the BJP’s core constituency in the rest of the country ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Mufti claimed that government employees were “forcibly” transported to the venue of the Prime Minister’s event.
This comes as PM Modi makes his first visit to Kashmir after the abrogation of the provisions of Article 370 five years ago. He is set to unveil multiple development projects worth more than Rs 6,400 crore and address a public rally in Srinagar on Thursday.
Also Read:PM Modi in Kashmir Live Updates: PM Modi reaches Srinagar’s Bakshi Stadium
Notably, the Lok Sabha elections 20204 are likely to be held in April-May.
Taking to her official handle on X, the former Jammu and Kashmir CM stated that government employees were “forcibly mobilised” and ferried to Modi’s rally to paint a “pretty picture that all is well” post-2019 when the Centre abrogated the provisions of Article 370 and bifurcated the erstwhile state into Union territories.
Also Read:Delhi’s Ram Lal Anand College gets bomb threat, students, staff evacuated, search underway
“Government employees are being herded at five am in sub-zero temperatures into vehicles at Budgam bus stand ferrying them to the PM’s rally. Disheartening to see employees being forcibly mobilised to paint a pretty picture that all is well post-2019 and that people here are celebrating their own collective disempowerment and humiliation,” Mufti wrote.
The president of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) further alleged that the current scenario “stands in contrast” to earlier visits by former prime ministers like Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh during the peak of insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir. During those visits, common people enthusiastically gathered at the venues of their events, returning with hope in their hearts.
“But this time Kashmiris know that everything spoken at Bakshi stadium will be to showcase the so-called benefits of illegal abrogation of Article 370 akin to putting salt to their wounds. This visit is only meant to address and drum up support amongst BJP’s core constituency in the rest of India for the upcoming Parliament elections,” she remarked.
Another former chief minister and National Conference (NC) leader Omar Abdullah slammed the Jammu and Kashmir administration on Wednesday, accusing them of “pulling out all stops” to ensure a crowd for Modi’s rally.
Abdullah said that the saffron party would not be able to do so on its own in Kashmir. He further added that thousands of government employees have been asked to assemble at select locations before dawn so that they can be taken to the venue of Modi’s rally.
“Employees, both men and women in the thousands, are being asked to gather between 4:30 am and 5:30 am in freezing temperatures to be bused to the venue. This participation isn’t optional; it’s compulsory. Employees who don’t show up are being threatened with disciplinary action by their department heads,” he stated on X.