Mehbooba backed the Prime Minister's decision to visit Lahore on December 25, 2015, saying it was sign of strength and not indication of weakness.
Battling unpopularity and alienation, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday heaped praises on the Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying he is the only leader who can resolve the Kashmir problem and pull the valley out of the present quagmire.
"I am saying it with full authority and I may be criticized for it also that if anyone can resolve Jammu and Kashmir problem, it is Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He has a strong mandate. Whatever decision he takes, the country will support him," said Mehbooba while addressing people after inaugurating a flyover in Jammu city.
Mehbooba backed the Prime Minister's decision to visit Lahore on December 25, 2015, saying it was sign of strength and not indication of weakness. "He has the mandate of the people. This is his biggest power. He went to Lahore and met the PM of that country. This is not a sign of weakness but an indication of strength and power," she said.
Without naming former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Mehbooba whose PDP was an ally of Congress from 2002 to 2008 said he lacked courage to visit Pakistan.
"A Prime Minister had also desired to go to Pakistan for over 10 years to see his home. He could have tried to end the confrontation between the two countries, and bring J&K out of this unfortunate situation. However he had no courage to do that”, Mehbooba said
Crediting former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and former chief minister Mufti Mohommad Sayeed for starting the "chapter of peace" in Jammu and Kashmir in 2002, Mehbooba said they tried their best to bring Kashmir out of this unfortunate situation
"There was ceasefire (along the borders) during Vajpayee's rule. There were talks with former deputy prime minister LK Advani. There was beginning of the process of opening roads. Militancy declined during that period and there was peace on the borders. These were not small developments. But unfortunately Mufti was out of the government and Vajpayee ji left, and the process came to grinding halt," she said
Mehbooba alleged that the UPA regime at the centre and the state government did not carry forward the process thinking "everything is peaceful and there is no need to do anything further".
"There was a lava. It started to come out when the youths were out on the streets in 2008 and then 2009 and 2010. This lava has now spread to the streets and we are forced to face this situation. Our government is trying to improve the situation in Kashmir, there are some forces which do not want it”, she said.
Complimenting people of Jammu for having maintained communal harmony and brotherhood despite provocations, Mehbooba said nobody would be allowed to disturb the peaceful atmosphere and mischief mongers would be dealt with sternly.
“Whosoever takes law in own hands would be dealt with appropriately and cautioned people against nefarious designs of some negative elements who want to derail the developmental process in the province by creating an atmosphere of hate”, she said.
The statement evoked sharp reaction from former chief minister Omar Abdullah whose party National Conference ran the government in alliance with Congress from 2008 to 2014. “Yes that's why Mehbooba Mufti & her brother didn't allow protestors to alter the schedule of the Anantnag by-poll. Such a strong leader!” he tweeted
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