Poonch/Jammu- The BJP is supporting a party which has been involved in Hawala money pumped in from Pakistan to fund militancy in Kashmir, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti said on Wednesday, in a veiled attack on Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari.
Bukhari, a former PDP leader, was expelled from the party in January 2019. His Apni Party has fielded Zafar Iqbal Khan Manhas from the Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary constituency against Mehbooba and National Conference leader Mian Altaf.
The seat goes to polls on May 25 in the sixth round of the seven-phase general elections and, besides them, there are 17 others in the fray.
“The first-of-its-kind attack on tourists in Pahalgam (on Saturday night that left a tourist couple from Rajasthan injured) should be investigated with a focus on the role of a party which brought Hawala money in large quantities from Pakistan for funding militancy (in Kashmir),” the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) president told reporters in Poonch district.
“I do not want to name anyone but if you try to find out, you will come to know who is behind handing over money to militants and (separatist) leaders. The connections are still intact and they can use those connections to do anything to ensure low polling percentage in Kashmir,” she said.
Mehbooba was apparently referring to Bukhari, who was a former minister in the 2015-18 PDP-BJP alliance government in Jammu and Kashmir. He had won the 2014 assembly elections on a PDP ticket and later formed the Apni Party with 31 former MLAs, mostly from the PDP, in March 2020.
“I am surprised that the BJP, which is claiming to be nationalist, is supporting the party that is involved in Hawala funding and has a direct role in bloodshed. The money pushed from Pakistan for militancy was also used to set up business,” Mehbooba alleged.
She also alleged that voters, particularly religious leaders and government employees, are being “harassed”. The central government should not fail the youth who are enthusiastically turning up to vote instead of using stones or guns, Mehbooba said.
“Employees are being threatened that their promotions will be stopped and they will be transferred if they do not vote for a particular candidate which I believe is interference in the elections. The Waqf board (headed by BJP leader Darakhshan Andrabi) is used to intimidate religious leaders,” she claimed.
Mehbooba said she hopes that “the prime minister (Narendra Modi) will intervene to ensure that no trickery is allowed to vitiate the atmosphere on the polling day (May 25)”.
Seeking support from the people, the PDP chief said she will raise all the issues being confronted by the people of the region, including construction of a tunnel along the Mughal road and a government medical college in Poonch, besides bringing various areas on the tourism map of the country.
Such Allegations Not In Good Taste: J&K BJP
Jammu and Kashmir BJP president Ravinder Raina on Wednesday hit out at PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti for her “Hawala money from Pakistan” barb at the Apni Party, saying it is better to fight elections by propagating “your party agenda and policies” rather than making “bitter” comments.
The Altaf Bukhari-led Apni Party, which is being supported by the BJP, has fielded Zafar Iqbal Khan Manhas from the Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary constituency against Mehbooba and National Conference leader Mian Altaf. Bukhari, a former PDP leader, was expelled from the party in January 2019.
“I respect Mehbooba and everyone else. Such allegations by her are not in good taste. Opposing one another on the political turf should be on the basis of agenda, manifesto and election programmes,” Raina told reporters in Mendhar in Poonch district.
The BJP leader was canvassing for Apni Party’s Manhas. Besides him, Mehbooba and Mian Altaf, there 17 others in the fray from the south Kashmir seat.
Referring to the PDP-BJP coalition government between 2015 and 2018, Raina said Mehbooba was a part of it. National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah was a foreign minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led BJP government between July 2001 to December 2002, he said.
“There is no bitterness in politics. The showdown between rival parties is imperative and everyone should try to win elections but we should not reach the level of enmity,” Raina said.
He said that “it is better to propagate your party agenda, policies and past performances of your government among the people and let them decide whom to vote for”.
The BJP leader said Prime Minister Narendra Modi took over in 2014 and worked for the welfare of every section of society under the slogan of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas and Sabka Vishwas”.
“Jammu and Kashmir tasted peace, progress and prosperity. There was a time when Lal Chowk (city centre in Srinagar) used to shut down at 4 pm daily but now normal activities continue till 2 am in the night. Modi also ensured justice to deprived sections,” he said.
Raina expressed confidence in the Modi-led government returning to power for a third term and said “we are supporting a candidate who wins from here (Anantnag-Rajouri) and extending support to Modi so that the development of the region continues without any hindrance.”
He also thanked the people of Srinagar and Baramulla for registering record-breaking turnouts of 38 and 58 per cent on May 13 and 20, respectively, and said “this is a beginning of new Kashmir where people have faith in democracy.”
“The bumper voting turnout will be reflected in the Anantnag-Rajouri seat as well to strengthen peace,” Raina said.
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