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NC asks Mehbooba: What assurance did you get from PM?

KT NEWS SERVICE. Dated: 8/12/2017 10:53:31 AM

SRINAGAR, Aug 11: National Conference (NC) today asked chief minister Mehbooba Mufti to explain to the people of Jammu and Kashmir what precise assurance she got from the prime minister on the sensitive issue of Article 35A and the state's Special Status.
In a statement NC state spokesperson Junaid Azim Mattu said all such previous claims made by Mehbooba Mufti about similar alleged "assurances" have proved to be lies and hence the credibility of her statement is highly questionable.
"What assurance did Mehbooba Mufti manage to get from the prime minister? Did the prime minister assure Mehbooba Mufti that the Central Government no longer desires a "larger debate" on Article 35A's validity - as was asserted by the Attorney General of India in the Honourable Supreme Court? Did the Prime Minister assure Mehbooba Mufti that the Government of India through the Attorney General would now file a written affidavit counter response to the PIL against Article 35A? Did the Prime Minister assure Mehbooba Mufti that BJP would stop officially terming Article 35A as 'unconstitutional' - as their senior functionaries and spokespersons have been doing in seminars and while speaking to the media? Did Mehbooba Mufti get an assurance from the Prime Minister that BJP would respect the State's Special Status going forward and withdraw from its longstanding ideological position that demands the abrogation of Article 370? These are the questions that Mehbooba Mufti has to answer!", the NC spokesperson said.
The NC spokesperson also reminded Mehbooba Mufti of a similar alleged "assurance" she lied about on the crucial issue of GST extension to the State. "You lied to the people about similar assurances about GST and eventually ended up decimating the State's Fiscal and Political Autonomy by disempowering the State Legislature and Government completely and irrevocably in matters of taxation. The Chief Minister has lost all credibility due to such repeated ploys and deceptions aimed to mislead the people of the State," Junaid further added.
"Just as recently as yesterday has an Official BJP Spokesperson for J&K reiterated his party's commitment to abrogate the State's Special Status. Another senior BJP leader has termed Mehbooba Mufti's statements as 'premature', while yet another Central BJP leader has termed Mehbooba Mufti's remarks as 'unfortunate'. It is primarily because of PDP's Faustian bargain and alliance with the BJP that the state's Special Status seems to be in serious peril today. Rather than enacting these theatrical performances - she should confess to her sellout and quit without any further delay", the NC Spokesperson said.