Srinagar, July 22 (KNB): Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday praised the youth-led protests in Jammu and Kashmir, saying the younger generation had demonstrated the true spirit of democracy by overcoming fear and raising their voices despite difficult circumstances.
Addressing a press conference, Mehbooba said she saluted the Gen Z generation for showing courage during the ongoing movement.
“I salute Gen Z. In this scorching heat, these young people have shown what real democracy looks like. What we could not do, what fear we could not overcome, these youth have shown us that we should not be afraid,” she said.
Reacting to recent remarks by Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Mehbooba questioned why the National Conference continued to target the PDP despite having a strong electoral mandate.
“They have 50 MLAs and the Chief Minister’s office. I don’t know why their focus remains on the PDP. They only want to project that the Jammu and Kashmir issue is limited to the restoration of statehood,” she said.
The PDP president said she had suggested convening an all-party meeting to build a united political strategy on Jammu and Kashmir’s constitutional and political issues, but claimed that such an initiative was not pursued.
Mehbooba also questioned the National Conference’s stand on Article 370, saying that if the party now believes the provision cannot be restored, it should explain why its restoration was included in its election manifesto.
“If they say Article 370 cannot be brought back, then why was it included in their manifesto?” she asked.
Reiterating the PDP’s position, Mehbooba said the demand for statehood alone was not sufficient and that the restoration of constitutional rights, including Article 370 and Article 35A, should remain part of the broader political discourse on Jammu and Kashmir.(KNB)