Centre must win people’s hearts if it wants real peace in J&K: Mehbooba Mufti

Srinagar, Apr 16: PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on Thursday said if the Centre wants real peace in Jammu and Kashmir, it will have to focus on winning the hearts of the people.

“If you want real peace and prosperity in Jammu and Kashmir, it is not possible until the Centre attempts to win the hearts of the people and talks about dialogue,” Mehbooba told reporters in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president also expressed hope that the Centre would soon understand that there is no alternative to dialogue.

“I hope that by today or tomorrow or the day after, the Central government understands that you can only oppress people by positioning Army at every place, or by imposing AFSPA, PSA or UAPA. But if you want to win their hearts, there is no alternative to dialogue,” she added.

The former J-K chief minister also said that the PDP’s interaction series with the people titled ‘Kath Bath’ is meant to hear people’s problems and to rid them of “helplessness”.

“Through Kath Bath, the PDP intends to talk about the helplessness and depression of J-K’s people, especially in the Valley after 2019 (when Article 370 was abrogated and J-K was bifurcated into two Union territories). We want to rid the people of that helplessness and depression,” Mehbooba said.