Youth should turn challenges into opportunities: Mehbooba Mufti

Jammu, Dec 21: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president and the former Chief Minister Jammu and Kashmir, Mehbooba Mufti, on Sunday exhorted the youth of J&K to take challenges confronting them as opportunities.

She was here to address the gathering in “Gal Baat” – a dialogue for dignity – an outreach programme launched by her party to listen to the youth and engage with their anxieties and opportunities, at Jammu Club.

“The main objective of today’s event was to provide a forum to the people, mainly youth, to share their anxieties, concerns and ideas besides giving vent to their anger or frustration. All sections of the society, be it transporters, daily wagers, unemployed youth, those associated with the mining, traders have a plethora of problems. But there is none to listen to them and address those issues,” she stated.

PDP president alleged that after 2019, a floodgate opened in Jammu with the unchecked entry of outsiders, jobs were being outsourced, crime rate and drug abuse were surging and the people of J&K, mainly Jammuites were badly suffering.

“So, we wanted to listen to them and help them resolve their issues. We had brought the bills related to daily wagers, against the demolition of houses of mainly ST people, mainly Gujjar people. But this government did what – was known to all. You have seen the demolition of the house of journalist Arfaz Daing also. We listened to people and we would force the government to act to redress the grievances of people,” Mehbooba said.

Responding to a query about the Ratle project controversy, she said that she would rely on the project official’s version as he was apolitical. “If an accused person is there then action should be taken but otherwise the political persons should not unduly interfere in such affairs,” Mehbooba said.

Earlier while addressing the gathering in “Gal Baat”, she defended her party’s coalition government with the BJP in 2014. The PDP president said that it (coalition) was framed by her illustrious father and the former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed to respect the overwhelming mandate of the Jammu people (to BJP).

“He (Mufti Mohammad Sayeed) believed that the alliance was imperative for the stability of Jammu and Kashmir, safeguarding the interests of its people from both the regions and keeping them together as one unit. They (BJP) had agreed not to fiddle with Article 370 in the Agenda of Alliance cobbled to guide the coalition government,” Mehbooba recalled.

Reminiscing about her father’s vision for J&K and affinity for the Jammu region, the PDP president stated that he would see a miniature of India in J&K and Jammu as the best example of composite culture.

“For him, this region was mini-India, and Article 370 was a tool to keep its unique character intact. He made a great sacrifice for the unity of J&K, even staked his reputation, but unfortunately, he was misunderstood. Neither the people of Jammu nor those of Kashmir understood him and his visionary approach,” she asserted.