Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Aaj Tak 2024: Before the upcoming assembly elections on 90 assembly seats of Jammu and Kashmir, the political temperature of the valley is high. To know the mood of this political temperature, PDP leader and party’s campaign in-charge Iltija Mufti participated in a special program ‘Panchayat Aaj Tak’ second session ‘Will PDP get power?’ on Aaj Tak and answered many political questions. She said that it is impossible to read the mind of Kashmiri voters, they never express what is in their hearts. They express it when they go to vote.
What is the difference between preparing a backroom strategy and making a strategy for yourself? Answering this question, Iltija Mufti said that I have my own identity, people know me as Iltija, when I go to campaign, they tell me that we are voting for you. I have my own identity, apart from the Mufti family.
I am a Dabangg type- Iltija
She said, ‘I go to so many villages where people do not have drinking water connection, there is no road. I have adopted Mehbooba Mufti’s stubbornness. I am a bit of a domineering type, Mehbooba ji is emotional. People told me that if you go into politics, then listen to everyone and do what you want.’
Iltija Mufti, daughter of former CM Mehbooba Mufti, is starting her political career by contesting elections from Bijbehara seat of the state. She is the third generation of the Mufti family who is contesting elections from this seat.
“Respect is important to me”
Who are you chasing in the journey you have embarked on? Answering this question, Iltija said, ‘I want to give some relief to the people and see some respect in their eyes. It is easy to vote through vote bank but when a leader is buried here, his reputation is also buried. The meaning of being in politics in Kashmir reminds me of a couplet by Ghalib that love is a river of fire, I feel that politics in Jammu and Kashmir is a river of fire, everything gets consumed here. My aim will be that people understand me, do not misunderstand me. It will be a great thing if they love me, but for me respect matters.’
People were fired from their jobs here- Iltija
What is your agenda for the youth of Jammu and Kashmir? On this question, Iltija said, ‘We have been seeing for the last five years that the government sitting in Delhi is trying to evict us from our land and jobs. You should have asked LG sahab how many youths have you fired from their jobs. I have gone to so many villages and towns of Bijbehara where they say that our sons and husbands were government servants and they were fired from their jobs just like that. When I asked why, the answer I got was that 10 years ago they had written something on Facebook. The youth here are going through a lot of hopelessness. There is also a drug crisis in Kashmir. Our youth are also getting involved in drugs.’
Engineer Rashid’s victory mentioned
Responding to a question related to the new Kashmir, Iltija said, ‘There were a lot of media persons at my place yesterday. You will not believe that there would be so many women who cry on camera and say that the police has taken them away and UAPA has been imposed on them. They have been in jail for so many years. Shops are open here, children are completing school but this is not normality. Because if there was no pain inside the people, Engineer Rashid would not have won, who won by 2 lakh votes. What sentiments do they talk about – freedom sentiment, referendum sentiment… So this was their victory, it was the biggest defeat of the Delhi government.’
What are the real issues of Kashmir? In response to this question, Iltija said, ‘There is no freedom to talk here. Where there was no terrorism before – Doda, Rajouri, Poonch, Jammu… so many of our people are getting martyred. Just because the shops are open does not mean that everything is fine.’
Why did Iltija tell the story of Lalu and Clinton
Iltija said, ‘Mufti sahab’s effort was that we will be able to moderate Modi ji. I will tell you a joke that Lalu ji is sent to America to meet Bill Clinton because Bill Clinton will teach Lalu ji English. When the press reaches there after two months, Bill Clinton has his feet on the table and says where is the Lalwa Paan… so we thought we will change Modi ji, he has changed the whole of India. We thought we will give him a secular mindset or moderate him, the whole of India has gone mad, I mean to say that Muslim, Muslim, Covid spreader… Mufti sahab’s intentions were clear. He worked with Vajpayee ji. You see Vajpayee ji took a bus to Lahore, will any Congress Prime Minister do the same, no… we thought we will moderate the BJP but he made the rest of the people mad.’
Said this on the question of Jamaat
Is it a threat for you if Jamaat-e-Islami contests elections? On this Iltija said, ‘If Jamaat wants to contest elections then what is the problem. Jamaat does such good work, it provides free education to children in schools. But their candidates have a different background, you see which party they are coming from.’
Mufti sahab met Modi ji in front of everyone, Modi ji embraced him, that photo is also in front of everyone. What can I say about the rest of the people. It was not my family but PDP that formed an alliance with BJP. Mufti sahab’s effort was that we will be able to moderate Modi ji.
There are no waves for anyone here – Iltija
Iltija said, ‘There is no wave for any one party here, there will be a fragmented mandate here. When there is a fragmented mandate, then a coalition government is formed. PDP will be the kingmaker here, BJP is not in a position to be a kingmaker. They have been wiped out. They are not going to get any seats even in Jammu. Only a coalition government will be formed here, BJP will not.’
When asked if she will form a coalition government with Congress and NC, Iltija said, ‘The village has not been settled yet and the robbers have arrived. The hen has not laid the egg yet, my election campaign is still going on. Voting has not taken place yet. Everything does not happen in a hurry. We will wait and see what happens.’
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