The former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Mehbooba Mufti, warned the BJP-led Centre with the example of Afghanistan. Referring to the Taliban seizing power in Afghanistan, the PDP President threatened the Centre “to not test us” and asked the government to “mend its ways, understand the situation, and see what is happening in your neighbourhood”.

Addressing a rally in the valley’s Kulgam district on Saturday, Mehbooba Mufti said, “It needs the courage to face what the people of Jammu and Kashmir are facing. The day they run out of patience; you will be ruined. Don’t test our patience. Look at what is happening in our neighbourhood (Afghanistan). The Taliban forced the powerful US forces to leave the country.” Validation of violence and terrorist organizations by Mehbooba is not new or unprecedented.

Earlier also, she has tried to instigate Kashmiris by making a provocative, objectionable, and irresponsible statement on her party’s 22nd Foundation Day (July 28). On that occasion, she said, “whatever the central government had snatched from Kashmiris on August 5, 2019, would have to be returned along with interest”.

In another controversial statement, she had vowed not to hoist the tricolor till the restoration of the situation before August 5, 2019. She is daydreaming to restore the status quo before August 5, 2019, and is showing sabbaths to a handful of misguided people in the Kashmir Valley. However, in reality, since then a lot of water has flowed down in Vitasta and Tawi. Bridging the distance, the people of Jammu and Kashmir are also moving forward and are joining the national mainstream. Now instead of strikes, stone pelting, and firing, they want peace and prosperity. Certainly, her anti-India statements are preparing the ground for her re-detention.

In fact, by drawing such a faculty, fictitious and frivilous analogy between Kashmir and Afghanistan, Mehbooba Mufti has unknowingly exposed her Talibanic mentality. Does she want the practice of answering every voice in Kashmir with AK 47 and AK 56 bullet shots, like Afghanistan? She should be asked whether she wants to ban the education and work of the sisters and daughters of Kashmir by hosting the Taliban? She should also be asked by the people of Kashmir whether she is in favor of making Kashmiri women ‘sex slaves’ of Taliban terrorists? Excluding the ‘naïve’ Mehbooba, everyone from Afghanistan to America knows the reality of the Taliban. Taliban is a brutal terrorist organization with a anti-women and undemocratic medieval mindset. Supporting it and wishing for its arrival in Kashmir exposes Mehbooba’s real plans and her deteriorating mental balance. She went two steps ahead of Pakistam PM Imran Khan, SP MP from Sambhal Shafiqur Rahman Vark and poet Munawwar Rana in praising (mis)deeds of Taliban. She also forgot that the hunger for power and hatred for the BJP have blinded her. She and her party have enjoyed power while running a coalition government with them for a long time! Would it be unreasonable to conclude on this basis that she can join hands with anyone, BJP, Congress, National Confrence and even with Taliban to get power? This sheer opportunism will lead her no where but to oblivion and extinction.

By giving the example of the takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban using bullets in place of ballots, she has also given evidence of her support for terrorist organizations operating in the Kashmir Valley and their links with the Taliban. It is not hidden from anyone that terrorist organizations like Hizbul Muzahideen, Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Muhammad, supported Taliban to overthrown the democratic government in Afghanistan. These Pak based organizations are blood bathing in Kashmir. It is noteworthy that Mehbooba’s blue eyed youth leader of the PDP, Waheed-Ur-Rehman Parra, has been confirmed to have nexus with the terrorist network and has acted on their instructions. The PDP has taken no action against him. Taliban’s threat is reminiscent of Jaichand’s invitation to Muhammad Ghori to humiliate Prithviraj Chauhan. Mehbooba herself has to decide whether she wants to become another Jaichand in Indian history. It is a different matter that in a strong and united India of the 21st century, the fate of her favorite Muhammad Ghori, the Taliban, will be catastrophic. She needs to understand that ballot is the solution but not the bullet.

The central government should take serious note of the provocative statements made by Mehbooba Mufti incessantly. She is very much involved in anti-national conspiracy to instigate Kashmiri people against Indian State. She is habitually making anti-India statements one after the other from the very moment she was released from detention. She is once again trying to mislead the Kashmiri youth to take up the route of violence, terror, and separatism that have been the basis of her politics. Therefore, the Government of India should give a direct message to her to mend her ways and stop this madness. Failing which the sovereignty and strength of the indian state must be manifested by taking stringent action.

With the establishment of Taliban rule in Afghanistan, Pakistan, especially the army and ISI, are in full swing. The security arrangements and the security forces deployed in Kashmir need to be alerted and reinforced. Apart from this, assembly elections should also be held in Jammu and Kashmir by completing the delimitation process as soon as possible. The full statehood of Jammu-Kashmir should also be restored. The Taliban mentality and Taliban rule can be given a befitting reply by the formation of a government based on the people’s mandate. The people of Jammu and Kashmir want peace and development, hence there is a need to take policy decisions and implement them according to the sentiments of the people instead of horns sounding at the behest of neighbouring countries.

(The author is Dean, Students’ Welfare, Central University of Jammu.)