Mehbooba Mufti Blames NC for Centre-J&K Mistrust

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti on Monday accused the ruling National Conference (NC) of contributing to mistrust between the Centre and Jammu and Kashmir, arguing that the party’s shifting political positions had created uncertainty among Kashmiris over the region’s relationship with the rest of India.

Addressing a party workers’ convention at Sher-e-Kashmir Park in Srinagar, the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister referred to the political decisions taken by National Conference founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah after Independence. She also urged the Centre to resume dialogue with Kashmiris, avoid relying on strict security laws and reopen traditional trade routes connecting the region with Central Asia.

Mehbooba Mufti Blames National Conference for Centre-J&K Mistrust

Mufti questioned the political legacy of the National Conference and said its changing positions had contributed to a climate of suspicion between New Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir.

She argued that the accession of Jammu and Kashmir to India was a decision taken by Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, not by her father, former chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.

“They don’t trust us, and we don’t trust them. Who is responsible for this climate of suspicion? India became independent 79 years ago, and that is when J&K acceded to India. My father did not take that decision; [NC founder] Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah did, even though this was a Muslim majority state.”

She accused the National Conference of creating uncertainty among Kashmiris through what she described as inconsistent political positions.

“They said one thing one day and another the next day. They created a sense of uncertainty in the minds of Kashmiris. First, they said plebiscite, then Pakistan. Then, in 1975, you accepted the chair again.”

Mufti also alleged that Sheikh Abdullah abandoned the discussion around autonomy when he accepted the position of chief minister instead of continuing as prime minister of Jammu and Kashmir.

Why Mehbooba Mufti Referred to Sheikh Abdullah’s 1975 Agreement

Mufti’s criticism centred on the political shifts associated with Sheikh Abdullah, who played a significant role in Jammu and Kashmir’s political history after Independence.

She referred to his earlier position on plebiscite and Pakistan, followed by his return to government in 1975 as chief minister. According to Mufti, these changes contributed to uncertainty among people in the region.

Her remarks were also a criticism of the National Conference’s political legacy, which she linked to the continuing mistrust between Jammu and Kashmir and the Centre.

Mehbooba Mufti Says PDP Was Founded to Give Kashmiris a Voice

Defending the political purpose of the PDP, Mufti said her father, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, founded the party to represent the concerns and aspirations of people in Jammu and Kashmir.

“The party was born out of the need to end a certain suffocation like it exists today,”

She also recalled her father’s efforts to bring former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to Jammu and Kashmir. According to Mufti, Sayeed had emphasised that the region needed recognition of people’s dignity rather than only infrastructure development.

“We don’t require roads and bridges, but their dignity.”

Through the reference, Mufti sought to highlight what she described as the importance of political engagement and respect for the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

Mufti Criticises Farooq Abdullah’s Remarks on Pakistan

Without directly naming National Conference president Farooq Abdullah, Mufti referred to his recent comments about Pakistan and Kashmir’s political future.

Abdullah, a former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, had said: “Pakistan goes everywhere, saying that Kashmir’s future has not yet been decided. Only that will save us”.

Mufti criticised the statement, arguing that such remarks could send another signal to the Centre that Kashmiris were aligned with Pakistan.

She also directed a strong message at the central government, describing Jammu and Kashmir as the crown of India and warning against policies that could deepen alienation in the region.

“J&K is the crown of India. If you remove that crown, toh phir tum mit jaoge, aur tumhari dastaan bhi na rahegi dastaanon mein (You will be wiped away from history).”

Mehbooba Mufti Urges Centre to Resume Dialogue and Reopen Trade Routes

Mufti argued that political and social issues in Jammu and Kashmir could not be resolved through strict security measures alone. She specifically referred to the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), the Public Safety Act (PSA) and the dismissal of government employees from service.

Instead, she called for dialogue between the Centre and people in the region, saying political engagement was necessary to address their concerns.

She also urged the government to reopen traditional trade routes connecting Kashmir with Central Asia, including routes to Kashgar, Khotan and Yarkand.

Mufti called on the Centre not to rely on force to deal with people in Jammu and Kashmir and questioned how long the government could continue using strict measures to silence public voices.

“How long will an iron fist? How long will you silence the people here?”

Large PDP Workers’ Convention Held in Srinagar

Hundreds of PDP workers gathered at Sher-e-Kashmir Park in Srinagar on Monday for the party convention, described in the supplied report as one of the largest such gatherings in recent years.

Addressing party members, Mufti invoked the famous words of poet Faiz Ahmad Faiz, “Bol ke lab azaad hain tere”, urging workers to speak up for themselves and raise their concerns.

She also called on party workers to prepare for the future and remain ready to take on political challenges.

Her address combined criticism of the National Conference’s political history with a broader appeal to the Centre for renewed dialogue, dignity and the reopening of traditional trade links. The remarks also highlighted the continuing political differences between the PDP and the ruling National Conference over Jammu and Kashmir’s relationship with New Delhi.