National Conference Monday alleged that PDP patron and CM candidate Mufti Mohammad Sayeed was the biggest villain for Kashmiri youth and was responsible for wanton bloodshed and atrocities during his unforgettable stint as the Union Home Minister in V. P. Singh’s Government.In a statement to KNS NC spokesman Junaid Azim Mattu said that people like former SSP and SOG specialist Ashiq Bukhari were a natural choice for Mufti Sayeed given his “longstanding penchant for using a brutal iron fist to crush the youth of Kashmir.”
“Bukhari was roped in by PDP soon after he retired, giving a clear cut proof that the retired SSP and SOG and Task Force stalwart always owed his allegiance to Mufti. It was apparently Bukhari whose services Mufti had used to hunt down and execute those five Hizbul Mujahideen militant commanders who had agreed to a unilateral ceasefire in response to Dr. Farooq Abdullah’s reconciliation efforts. It was none other than present PDP leader Bukhari who boasted about killing 300 militants in front of a visiting diplomat from Pakistan. So this is just a final and public acceptance of an old, deep association and affection that Mufti has had with the SOG and the Task Force. This was evidently proved by how Mufti was instrumental in mainstreaming the SOG during his tenure as Chief Minister and empowering SOG stalwarts to crush the youth”, the NC Spokesman alleged.
He ridiculed Mehbooba Mufti’s remarks and said that it was none other than ‘PDP leader’ Bukhari who called the youth of Kashmir ‘drug addicts and paid agents in 2010.’ “Mehbooba should tell us how Bukhari addressed PDP rallies in North Kashmir and was garlanded on a stage with no less a figure than Mufti Sayeed and was addressed as a senior leader on the stage as well as in the party’s official press note? PDP Media Advisor Nayeema Mehjoor also went on record to call Bukhari a ‘well-wisher’ of PDP. Mehbooba should also answer as to how Bukhari himself has said that he had worked very hard for Mehbooba’s victory in the Parliament elections? Since Mehbooba cannot answer these questions, she is trying her best to distract public outrage against PDP on this issue”, Mattu said.
The NC Spokesman lashed out at PDP alleging that Mufti is the biggest villain for the youth of Kashmir and has sent thousands of youth to their graves during his stint as the Union Home Minister with Governor Jagmohan as his partner in J&K. “Has Mufti apologized for the Gaw Kadal, Handwara, Bijbehara, Mashali Mohalla, Maisuma and Hawal massacres so that Mehbooba has the audacity to speak of the unfortunate 2010 killings? What about those horrendous, spine-chilling massacres and genocides that were ordered by Mufti in the 90s? Also, in view of PDP laying out a red carpet for Bukhari – there now hangs a shadow of suspicion on PDP and Mufti for what happened in 2010 when PDP leader Bukhari was the SSP Srinagar against whom numerous accusations of disproportionate use of force, illegitimate harassment and extortion have been raised time and again” he said.
“There cannot be a bigger blot on the dignity of Kashmiris than PDP’s presence on the State’s political landscape. PDP is Mufti Sayeed’s party – a man who pioneered 'Operation Catch-and-Kill' and 'Operation Tiger' where he as the Home Minister ordered the security forces to shoot at-will and at-sight and slit the throats of hundreds of youth without giving them a chance to approach the courts and seek legal assistance. Mufti is the architect of State terror and repression in J&K and is also the patron of AFSPA in the State. PDP should mentally prepare itself for being banished for good by the youth of J&K in the coming Assembly Elections where the party has made former SSP and SOG/Task Force stalwart Ashiq Bukhari its new face. The youth are apprehensive that PDP through people like Ashiq Bukhari might resort to harassment, hooliganism and intimidation of the youth to reap political pidends”, the NC Spokesman alleged.
He also said that National Conference strongly condemns the intimidation and harassment of Kashmir Reader editor by ‘PDP leader’ Bukhari and said that Mehbooba and Mufti should apologize to the entire media fraternity for this unacceptable behavior rather than exerting pressure and influence through its cronies to save Bukhari from legal action. “Bukhari should be immediately arrested for his hooliganism and intimidation of senior journalists on behalf of PDP Patron. An example should be made of out those of his ilk who use intimidation as a political tool especially around elections in the State”, the NC Spokesman said.