New Delhi: Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and PDP President Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday invoked Lord Ram and his clan ‘Raghu’ to refer to promise made by the Indian Union in terms of Article 370 of the Constitution to state of Jammu and Kashmir in 1947.
“Today, I appeal to the collective conscience of this country….faith of the majority community is ‘Raghukul reet sada chali aayi, pran jaye par vachan na jayi’ (verse from Ramcharitmanas saying that promises must be kept, even if you have to sacrifice your life),” said Mufti.
“I am not talking about those who kill in the name of ‘Jai Shri Ram’ and lynch in the name of ‘Jai Shri Ram’. I am talking about those of the majority community people who believe in ‘Ramchandra ji’ and his vachan (promise). I think that ‘vachan’ (referring to the promise made by the India Union to the state of Jammu & Kashmir) is on trial today before the Supreme Court,” she added, while interacting with press in lawns of the Supreme Court.
Mufti made an arrival at the Supreme Court when a five-judge Constitution Bench headed by CJI DY Chandrachud is hearing a batch of pleas challenging abrogation of Article 370.
She said that there is still some faith in the Supreme Court and abrogation of Article 370 has broken backs of the people in Jammu and Kashmir, who believed in the idea of India.
“We know what has happened to institutions in the country. Fortunately, we still have some faith in the Supreme Court of this country,” the former chief minister said.
Mufti alleged that the central government has destroyed Jammu and Kashmir in the name of ending militancy.
“They have strengthened those who talked about separatism, Pakistan and independence as they did not believe in (Article) 370. We believed in Article 370,” she said.
Notably, a five-judge Constitution Bench of Supreme Court has been hearing the pleas challenging abrogation of Article 370 from August 02.
(IANS)