Won't contest assembly elections till Article-370 is restored, not sure about parliamentary polls: Mehbooba Mufti

Jammu and Kashmir PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday vowed not to contest assembly elections till Article 370 is restored saying it be might a foolish decision but the issue is an emotional one for herIn an interview with PTI here the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister also said that assembly elections are not happening in the Union Territory as the Centre is scared that if there is an elected government then it will not be able to pursue its hidden agendaThe Centre in 2019 had abrogated Article 370 which granted special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir and divided it into two Union Territories JampK and LadakhI am never going to participate in assembly elections as long as Article 370 is not restored Whenever I took oath as a member of the assembly it was under two Constitutions the JampK Constitution and the Constitution of India with two flags at the same time Maybe it is foolish on my part but it is a more of an emotional issue for me she saidMehbooba was referring to the separate Constitution and the flag that Jammu and Kashmir had under its special statusOn if she would contest parliamentary elections the Peoples Democratic Party PDP president said she was not sure Parliament elections I do not know Mehbooba addedAsked whether the parties in the Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration PAGD an amalgam seeking the restoration of Article 370 would contest the assembly elections as an alliance she said it was too early to say thatWe have never really discussed whether we are going to contest elections together or separately Unless and until we sit together only then we can talk about it she saidOn the central governments claims of restoration of democracy in Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba asked if panchayat polls are the real test of democracy why does the country have the posts of prime minister and home ministerThey are talking about panchayat elections This is not the first time that these elections have been held They have been conducted from the time of National Conference founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah If panchayat is the real test of democracy what is prime minister and home minister doing Panchayat cannot be a substitute to the assembly she saidAsked about assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir not being conducted the PDP chief said the Centre is scared that if there is an elected government then it will not be able to pursue its hidden agendaWhat are they scared of I do not know The firmans orders that they are issuing every week which further dispossesses and disempowers the people of JK they want to continue with that Mehbooba saidAlso read Mumbai BESTs 2nd electric double decker bus hits roads passengers say issues faced in 1st one largely unresolvedThey are scared that if there is an elected government then they will not be able to pursue their hidden agenda which is no more hidden They may not be able to do what they are doing at this point of time she saidThey are criminalising everything she alleged and added that I would say they have even criminalised recruitment by hiring a blacklisted companyMehbooba alleged that their plan of action is such that they want to dispossess the people of Jammu and Kashmir and bring them to their knees Thats why they do not want to have an assembly which they feel might be empowered and may not follow their diktats she saidReferring to the situation in Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba said it is not possible for the Centre to continue with an ironfist approach It is not possible They are all draconian measures You have created a pressure cookerlike situation Now they are scared that if they lift the thumb everything may just come out of it it may blow into their face That is why they creating more pressure each passing day she saidThey are bringing more laws arresting more people they dont want opposition they dont want any kind of dissent and they dont want to give any space to voice of dissent They want everything to look goodygoody the PDP chief saidJammu and Kashmir is a problem is a conflict and an issue between two nuclear powers India and Pakistan and one just cannot rule these out she saidMaybe Pakistan is in doldrums at this point of time it is in deep trouble but somehow it is going to be there whether we want it or not Then we have our own problems We have our own issues with the central government Mehbooba saidThere has to be engagement and reconciliation and resolution We may try to sweep it under the carpet for as many years as we want but it is going to be there in one form or the other she saidReferring to the developments related to Khalistan sympathiser and radical preacher Amritpal Singh in Punjab she said she does not know whether it is really happening or is the BJP trying to create a situation like thatJammu and Kashmir is a more sensitive a state than Punjab it has more historical and geographical baggage than Punjab It is not only about Article 370 it is about general resolution of the problem I know BJP wants us to talk only about Article 370 not resolution Then they want us to talk about statehood Mehbooba saidNow in a way they have succeeded in bringing majority of the political parties to the issue of elections but I do not think that people of JK want to normalise everything like this she saidMehbooba said people want a resolution because so many lives have been lost there has been so much of destruction and suffering How can they let it pass and say everything hunky dory the PDP chief saidThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever