Jammu region has suffered most due to abrogation of Art 370: Mehbooba

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Friday targeted the BJP-led Central government, asserting that Jammu region has suffered the most following the abrogation of Article 370.

“There is no water for farmers, yet no one is asking about it. Drug addiction is increasing daily, but no one seems concerned. Cart pullers, auto drivers, and even contractors from outside the region are working in Jammu,” she said.

Highlighting the problems faced by the people of Jammu, Mehbooba said the region has been the worst affected since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. She added that even the BJP shows no concern for the region, despite boasting about the removal of Article 370.

Taking a dig at the National Conference (NC), she said the party has failed to fulfill the promises made during last year’s Assembly elections. “Until 2024, there was BJP administration both here and at the Centre. Did they do anything for Jammu? The NC government had promised free electricity, LPG cylinders, jobs, and a halt on sand and mineral extraction by outsiders. Yet, nearly a year later, have they done any of this?” she questioned.

“Peace is a prerequisite for development. The BJP keeps fooling the people of Jammu, while the NC continues to mislead the entire region,” she added.

Invoking the legacy of former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, Mehbooba emphasised that the region’s issues cannot be resolved from Delhi but only through unity among the people of Jammu and Kashmir. “Mufti Mohammad Sayeed always said that challenges like unemployment, underdevelopment and unrest affect the entire state, not just one region,” she said, adding that despite abundant natural and human resources, Jammu and Kashmir remain backward.

“Our state’s water generates electricity for the entire country. We have precious Neelam stones, high-quality marble, and blue sapphire. Our youth are among the most intelligent in the country. Still, we are backward. Why?” asked the PDP chief.

Referring to the damage caused by Pakistani shelling in Poonch, Mehbooba said, “For the first time, people in Jammu have seen what war truly means — how children and women suffer. What do we gain from it?”

The PDP president reiterated that her party was founded to promote peace with dignity. “Mufti Sahab left the Congress to end the gun culture in Kashmir.”

Criticising the Centre’s economic policies, she said, “Trump recently said India’s economy is dead. We are giving free rations to 80 crore people because we cannot provide employment. Our schools and hospitals are crumbling while we spend heavily on weapons to fight Pakistan.”

Mehbooba warned that rising global tensions and the arms trade could provoke another India-Pakistan war. “Today, it takes just one blast in Kashmir or Jammu to start a war. China, the US, Israel — they all want to test or sell weapons. It’s easy to trigger a conflict, and we will be the ones to suffer,” she said.

The PDP president urged both regions to walk together for the sake of progress. “We have to end hostility and promote friendship. Enmity only brings destruction and death — the bodies of children, the elderly, and women,” she added.