Jammu & Kashmir: Hurt By Mehbooba Mufti's Remark On National Flag, 3 PDP Leaders Quit Party

The development comes as a big blow to Mufti who had last week said that she won't raise any other flag till the flag of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir is restored.

Jammu and Kashmir former chief minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President Mehbooba Mufti. (Image: PTI)

Srinagar: Citing regret over their party chief Mehbooba Mufti's remark against the national flag, as many as three leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday tendered resignations. The three leaders include former Rajya Sabha MP T S Bajwa, Hassan Ali Waffa and Ved Mahajan. The development comes as a big blow to Mufti who had last week said that she won't raise any other flag till the flag of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir is restored. The PDP leaders soon after quitting the party said they were feeling "uncomfortable and suffocated" due to party chief Mehbooba Mufti's "undesirable utterances", especially those which hurt patriotic sentiments.

Jammu: PDP leader Ved Mahajan resigned from the party today.

He says, "Our national flag is our pride. We have been hurt by her statement. Today, we have shown the people of Jammu and Kashmir that we are secular. There are many party leaders and workers who may resign." https://t.co/88s2n1etvJ pic.twitter.com/BBRheo9NiS — ANI (@ANI) October 26, 2020

In their two-page letter to Mufti, the three -- Bajwa, former MLC Ved Mahajan and former state secretary Hussain Ali Wafa -- said they were "feeling quite uncomfortable over some of your (party chief) actions and undesirable utterances, especially which hurt the patriotic sentiments". The leaders said that despite several undesirable developments and steps "we stood like a rock with the party and the leadership inspite of the situation in front of the party". Instead of overcoming the challenges from within and outside by a process of broader consultation and trust, some elements within the party started pulling the PDP and its leadership in a particular direction, deviating from the basic principle, agenda and philosophy, making it further difficult to face the saner voices in the society. "Some of the actions and utterances are unpardonable and unforgettable by the people for the party to emerge out and move in a direction of its fundamental approach and identity, besides regaining its image as a political alternative to the people. "In view of this, we feel uncomfortable and suffocated in the party, forcing us to take a difficult decision of leaving the party," news agency PTI quoted the three leaders as saying in a common resignation letter. They also referred to the formation of the PDP, saying it was to provide an alternative voice for every region of the erstwhile state and also to channelise the dissent, especially among youth, and prevent them from falling in the trap of anti-India elements in adopting the path of destruction in the absence of any credible platform. Mufti has come for sharp criticism over her remarks, with some BJP leaders terming them seditious statements. In her first press interaction after she was released from her 14-month long detention, the former Chief Minister said that her fight is not confined merely to the restoration of Article 370, but for the resolution of Kashmir issue as well. "Our relationship with our national flag is not independent of the flag of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. When we get that flag, we will raise the Indian flag as well," she said. Before the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution on August 5 last year, Jammyu and Kashmir had a separate flag and a separate Constitution applicable concomitantly with the country's Constitution and the national flag.