Mehbooba’s daughter Irtiqa taking plunge into politics?

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Srinagar, January 17

In its monthly newsletter, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has chosen Mehbooba Mufti’s eldest daughter Irtiqa Mufti to share her views.

In the newsletter, “A letter to my grandfather”, Irtiqa talks about the politics of “healing touch” of her grandfather and former CM of J&K Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.

Irtiqa recalls Sayeed’s achievements as the CM of J&K, saying that his policy helped “end the alienation of Kashmiris and brought them back into the fold”.

Govt can’t bulldoze J&K into peace

The Centre thinks it can bulldoze J&K into peace, much like the separatists of the late 80s, who thought their guns were going to give them freedom without having to engage with anyone. —Irtiqa Mufti

“Opening the roads across the Line of Control was your way of telling people that we didn’t need to redraw borders for Kashmir,” the letter reads.

The newsletter appears to be Irtiqa’s plunge into Kashmir politics. At present, Iltija Mufti, the youngest daughter of Mehbooba Mufti, is actively engaged in the PDP politics. Iltija serves as the media adviser to Mehbooba Mufti.

Stating that her grandfather would say separatism was an idea that needed to be met with a better idea, Irtiqa says the present government had no such views.

“The Government of India thinks it can bulldoze J&K into peace, much like the separatists of the late 80s, who thought their guns were going to give them freedom without having to engage with anyone.”

However, she warns things in Kashmir can change at any moment. “They have forgotten that prior to the 90s, the situation in J&K was more normal than that in any other state in the country, earning us the moniker Switzerland of India. And then, the smallest spark ignited a fire that has lasted decades. Separatism is an idea that needs to be met with a better idea,” the letter reads.

Recalling her grandfather’s famous slogan, “Grenade se na goli se, baat banegi boli se” (not through grenade or bullet, issues get resolved through talks), she says at the time the slogan was raised, she thought it was mere lip service.

“Then I learnt about insurgent math, a term coined by the US military. For every insurgent we kill, we create 10 new ones. The BJP thinks that separatism has to do with a group of people, which once eliminated or jailed, will end the resistance,” she says, adding, “But you always said that democracy is a battle of ideas that can be won only through dialogue and reconciliation.”