Meddling with Article 35A is like playing with fire, Mehbooba Mufti warns Centre

The PDP supremo said that meddling with Article 35A would be like playing with fire and anybody who touches it will be burned to ashes.

JAMMU: Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and PDP supremo Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday warned the Narendra Modi-led NDA government at the Centre not to meddle with Article 35A in the Kashmir Valley, tinkering which, she said, would be like playing with fire.  

Warning the Centre, the Peoples Democratic Party chief said that meddling with Article 35A would be like playing with fire and anybody who touches it will be burned to ashes.

"35A ke saath chhedd chhadd karna baarood ko haath lagaane ke baraabar hoga. Jo haath 35A ke saath chhedd chaadd karne ke liye uthenge wo haath hi nahi wo saara jism jal ke raakh ho jaega. (Tinkering with Article 35A will be akin to setting a powder keg on fire. If any hand tries to touch Article 35A, not only that hand, but that whole body will be burnt to ashes,)" Mehbooba said.

Former J&K CM and PDP leader, Mehbooba Mufti, in Srinagar: 35A ke saath chhedd chhadd karna baarood ko haath lagaane ke baraabar hoga. Jo haath 35A ke saath chhedd chaadd karne ke liye uthenge wo haath hi nahi wo saara jism jal ke raakh ho jaega. #JammuAndKashmir pic.twitter.com/mKIU9Vmexw — ANI (@ANI) July 28, 2019

The PDP chief made these remarks while addressing a gathering on PDP's 20th foundation day event in Srinagar.

Mehbooba had on Saturday criticised the Centre for its decision to deploy additional 10,000 central armed paramilitary forces (CAPF) in Jammu and Kashmir. 

Criticising the move, she said that it has created "doubts" and "fear psychosis" among the people.

"Security personnel are being brought in here which is not right. It is creating doubts among the people," the PDP leader said. 

"Centre`s decision to deploy additional 10,000 troops to the valley has created fear psychosis amongst people. There is no dearth of security forces in Kashmir. J&K is a political problem which won`t be solved by military means. GOI needs to rethink & overhaul its policy," she had said in a tweet.

Centre’s decision to deploy additional 10,000 troops to the valley has created fear psychosis amongst people. There is no dearth of security forces in Kashmir. J&K is a political problem which won’t be solved by military means. GOI needs to rethink & overhaul its policy. — Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) July 27, 2019

Mehbooba further argued that the Kashmir issue is a political problem which cannot be solved by using the military.

"Jammu and Kashmir is a political issue. There is no military solution to this issue. It cannot be solved until you talk to Pakistan and the people here. You can establish temporary peace (using military) but for long-lasting peace, it is necessary to solve the Kashmir problem (through talks)," she said.

PDP chief attacked the Centre after it was reported that the Ministry of Home Affairs had ordered the deployment of an additional 100 companies of the central armed police force (CAPF) to "strengthen the CI grid as well as for maintaining law and order situation in Jammu and Kashmir."

Out of the 100 coys, 50 are from Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), 30 from Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), and ten each from Border Security Force (BSF) and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP).