Guns, stones won’t yield any result, says Mehbooba Mufti

Mehbooba Mufti, former J&K chief minister and People’s Democratic Party president, on Sunday said that guns and stones won’t yield any result and the youth of Kashmir should learn a lesson from farmers, who are protesting peacefully.

Mufti said the whole world was advocating farmers’ cause and pressurising the central government as they “aren’t carrying any weapon or stone”. Mufti, who is also vice president of the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration, advised the Centre that after talking to China and Pakistan, it should start a dialogue with the youth of Kashmir.

“Farmers have mobilised and successfully rallied the whole world behind their cause. Discipline underpinning the farmers’ movement is something worth emulating,” said Mufti.


She advocated an unrelenting peaceful struggle for the restoration of democratic and constitutional rights of the people of J&K. “The government should initiate a dialogue process with the youth of Kashmir… Gun isn’t a solution to any problem… There are elements who wish to bracket us as violent and extremist so as to delegitimise our aspirations and our struggle,” Mufti said, while addressing a convention of party workers in Pulwama.

The PDP leader said the people of J&K should tread the peaceful path to restore the lost dignity and also strive for resolution of the Kashmir issue. “This issue has consumed thousands of lives, including militants, armed forces, policemen and common people, who have sacrificed their lives… This blood should not go waste,” said Mufti.

“The horticulture sector, which forms the backbone of our economy, hasn’t been spared either. By allowing apple produce from Iran to flood the market, our own crop is getting destroyed by supply of spurious pesticides."