CM Mufti targets Muslim clergy for talking about Article 370, Handwara molestation

In Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, today targeted Muslim clergy and ridiculed it for talking about Article 370 being in danger, questioning industrial policy of the government and repeatedly mentioning Handwara molestation case.

The Chief Minister said she was not accountable to anyone for her alliance with the BJP and insisted that if required, for peace of the state, she would forge an alliance with the BJP thousand times, thus nonchalantly rejecting the assertion of National Conference and Congress members, who had questioned her decision of entering alliance with the BJP.

She said the PDP's alliance with the BJP was the toughest decision of her father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. Her father, she said, was not in habit of moving away from tough decisions after taking them thus making it clear that alliance with the BJP would continue.

She said it would have been a betrayal to the mandate of people of Jammu, who overwhelmingly voted for the BJP in 2014 elections, had PDP not formed alliance with it.

MUFTI ATTACKS MUSLIM CLERGY FOR RAISING ISSUES FROM MOSQUES

The Chief Minister attacked Muslim clergy for raising Handwara molestation case and Article 370 from pulpits of mosques, saying since Handwara incident several other incidents of molestation have taken place. She said civilians were involved in these incidents of molestation. She said incidents of molestation had taken place during school picnics and in the classrooms. "Is it necessary that you (clergy) talk about it only when men in uniform are involved", she asked.

Earlier former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had sought response of the government on Handwara incident.

On April 12 afternoon massive protests had erupted in Handwara town, around 75 km northwest of Srinagar, following allegations that a minor girl was molested by a soldier at a lavatory used by the army troopers stationed in the bunkers at the main market in Handwara.

On the same day two persons were killed after the army opened fire on the protesters and three others were killed in police and army firing during next three days of protests. The angry protesters razed down the bunkers.

The Chief Minister while alluding to moderate separatist leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who usually issues statements on various political and social issues from the pulpit of the Grand Mosque of Kashmir, Jamia Mosque, Srinagar, said they always feel that the Article 370 was in danger.

MUST TALK ABOUT OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUES: MUFTI

She said they raise the issue of the Article 370 being in danger without knowing anything about it. "What is Article 370? The Article will be relevant only when our rivers, mountains and forest will remain."

"I want to ask these people who sermon from pulpits on Fridays, have you ever wondered what has happened to Dal Lake. Have you ever mentioned this in your sermon. Have you ever made people to understand that Dal is dying? Have you ever talked about it", she asked. "I want to ask these preachers that scores of people are falling ill because of pollution. Why are these preachers not talking about it", she added.

"Before 370, we have to take care of climate, environment and water bodies of J-K," Mehbooba said. "Article 370 is not the issue. They are looking for something else", she said.

She, however, described Article 370 as shared inheritance of the state and said nothing would happen to it. "We will safeguard it", she said amidst applause from the members.

She said the government was committed towards return of Kashmiri Pandits to Kashmir, but a sense of security must prevail in the community.

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