Delhi trying to change Kashmir discourse: Malik.

Chairman of Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front Muhammad Yasin Malik Saturday accused New Delhi of triggering a debate on Article 370 to change the discourse of freedom movement in Kashmir. He announced to launch ‘Quit Kashmir Movement’ to defeat these “nefarious designs.”
“The clamor for abrogation of Article 370 triggered by a minister in Modi government has led to a political upheaval. It is an attempt to shift focus on state-centre relationship,” Malik said at a press conference here.
“To foil these nefarious designs, we have decided to launch Quit Kashmir Movement on the pattern of Safr-e-Azadi and signature campaign and Jail Bharo Andolan. We will infuse new life into the movement at grassroots level,” Malik said.
Elaborating, he said for the first time heads of SAARC countries were invited to the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “On this occasion Modi made it clear to the head of the Pakistan government to create conducive atmosphere for dialogue while his minister raked up the Article 370 controversy,” he said.
“It has been the policy of BJP which is pursuing agenda of RSS to integrate Kashmir with India by using different tactics including trifurcation of the state. After emerging single largest party, BJP managed to spin the Kashmir issue,” he said.
JKLF Chairman hit out at National Conference, Peoples Democratic Party and Congress for what he said trying to mislead Kashmiris by raising voice against proposed abrogation of Article 370.
“Omar Abdullah says if the Article 370 is abrogated accession with India will end, Mehbooba Mufti calls for reigning in minister who stoked the controversy. It is ironical that these parties are hitting streets and issuing statements against abrogation of Article 370 whose leaders since 1947 as loyal servants of New Delhi left no stone unturned to dilute the Article,” he said.
Malik said the mainstream parties in JK are playing politics over the issue as “Government of India, Parliament or even the Prime Minister have no legal or constitutional authority to amend or abolish Article 370.”
“Such power is exclusively vested in Jammu and Kashmir Assembly. I wonder why the mainstream leaders in JK are raising hue and cry on Article 370,” Malik said.
Malik said the state Assembly led by Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah, on October 15, 1951, extended the power of President of India to Jammu and Kashmir and made its people Indian citizens.
He said in 1953, Prime Minister Bakshi Ghulam Muhammad abolished permit system for Indian nationals. “The GM Sadiq government, in which Mufti Muhammad Sayeed was a deputy agriculture minister, brought the state at par with other states by abolishing the post of Sadr-e-Riyasat,” he said.
“Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah introduced Public Safety Act. GM Shah brought the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities Act. The then Advocate General Muzaffar Hussain Baig, who now aims to raise Kashmir issue in Indian Parliament, did not oppose implementation of TADA. Thousands of Kashmiris were imprisoned under this Act. Dr Farooq brought Prevention of Terrorist Ordinance in 2001,” he said.
He said PDP Patron Mufti Muhammad Sayeed as Home Minister introduced AFSPA and Disturbed Area Act “empowering the armed forces against common Kashmiris.” “By virtue of these acts, lakhs of kanals of land across Kashmir were occupied by forces. Mufti Sayeed made most of the amendments in Article 370 and also sabotaged Permanent Resident Disqualification Bill. During Mufti’s tenure as Home Minister, Kashmiri detainees and separatists were shifted to jails across India. Even I was shifted to Agra Central Jail for over a year,” he said.
Hitting out at NC and PDP, Malik said the two political families, “Muftis and Abdullahs act more loyal than the king by implementing New Delhi policies against Kashmiris and weakening Article 370.”