Muhammad Suhail
Srinagar, Jul 25 : Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday said the resignation of Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan was a direct outcome of the peaceful youth agitation at Jantar Mantar, asserting that the protesters had reclaimed Mahatma Gandhi’s idea of India and rejected communal politics.
“The youth who have been hungry and thirsty for over a month were protesting there at Jantar Mantar. They did not indulge in violence, they followed the Gandhian way. Today, when Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation came, this is their success,” Mehbooba told reporters as per news agency Kashmir News Service (KNS).
She said the protest movement has given hope to many who had become disillusioned with the country’s direction. “I think they have completely rejected divisive politics, Hindu-Muslim. The youth have given me hope. The future of India is in safe hands,” she said.
Mehbooba Mufti also noted the participation of Kashmiri youth at the protest site, saying even those “branded separatists and anti-national” welcomed them enthusiastically and articulated their concerns.
On the continuation of the protests, Mehbooba defended the agitators’ remaining demands, which include compensation for victims’ families, withdrawal of FIRs against peaceful protesters, and a government apology over alleged police brutality.
“The current generation understands the situation better than us. Their demands are not wrong. They protested peacefully, no FIR should be filed against them. Thirdly, the government should apologise for the way they were brutally beaten. I don’t think there are any demands that should not be accepted,” she said.
The PDP chief also expressed hope that the solidarity shown towards Kashmiri students during the protests would help address the “atrocities” faced by them in colleges and universities across other states. (KNS)
