Even as the government faced Opposition's ire over Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed's remarks that "people from across the border" - seen as a reference to Pakistan - had allowed peaceful polls in the state, his daughter and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti defended his remarks saying they stand by all that they've said.
Ms Mufti spoke to NDTV's Barkha Dutt. Here is an excerpt from the interview:
NDTV: Mufti Saab's first press conference on day one generated a huge controversy because he was seen as being pro-Pakistan, pro-militant, pro-separatist when he credited, apko bhi malum hai unhone kya bola, he credited the people uss paar unhone ye phrase use kiya, uss par ke logon ne bhi contribute kiya unhone allow kiya ki ek conducive environment baney. Mehboobajidon't you think that this overshadowed what should have been a historic occasion, that his words were wrong, the messaging was wrong?
NDTV: But isn't that also because of the security forces...
NDTV: But what did he mean? What did he mean when he complimented Pakistan, the Hurriyat, the militants even instead of the people and the Armed Forces?
NDTV: But there were attacks in the campaign. There was a big terror attack in Uri on the army camp, aapko bhi yaad hai, political workers sarpanch level pe were targeted, it was not a violence-free election.
NDTV: Do you think he chose the wrong words or do you stand by his statement? Was he trying to convey something else and did he choose the wrong words or do you think ki unhone kuch galat nahi bola?
NDTV: He's a separatist, yes
NDTV: But why bring up militants also in that statement? Unhone militants ki bhi baat ki, separatists ki bhi baat ki, pakistan ki bhi baat ki.
Mehbooba Mufti: Pakistan ke assets kya hai J&K mein. You know, let's, woh to sabhi kehte hain.
NDTV: Assets meaning promoted by Pakistan?
Mehbooba Mufti: Militants unke assets hai na. Ye toh dono connect karte hai. Jab Pakistan, Kashmir ke apne bhi hai , huriyat ke, they are all, you know, you have to say ki kahi na kahi ye sarey connect karte hai. Magar agar kisi election mai humko ye lagta hai ki shayad thoda bahut inhone let off kiya, toh humko usko acknowledge karke unko aur bhi jyada peace mai unke stakes build karne chahiye ki rather than Pakistan ko firing karo, udhar attack karo idhar attack karo, humne toh badey attack kiye.
NDTV: So you stand by the statement. Aapko nahi lagta ki isme kuch BJP ke liye kuch badi embarrassment ho gayi, that it made day one start off on the wrong note?
Mehbooba Mufti: Mujhe lagta hai ki humarey working groups mai ek report mai bahut kuch tha, bahut si achi batein thi, change of, yeh power projects ke transfer, AFSPA ke barey mai tha. Usme ek aur bhi cheez thi ki we need to sensitize our media viz-a vis J&K. So mera ye hai ki jo humara media hai, with due respect, because I admire Indian media for what they do, agar kahi communal riot hota hai, kisi ladki ke sath jyadti ho jati hai, kahi khuda na khasta rape hota hai, aur ye jo pura inkalaab humarey mulk ke andar agaya hai corruption ke khilaaf, iska maximum credit media ko jata hai. Toh isi tarah mai samajhti hoon ki jab hum J&K ko leke ek naya chapter open karne ki koshish karein, isme jab tak media humara saath nahi degi, jo mere father ka vision hai, jo unki policy hai reconciliation ki, reconstruction ki, rebuilding ki, dil jodne ki, jab tak aap media ke log humarey us essence ko sahi maino mai nahi samjhogey mujhe lagta hai shayad hum kamiyab nahi ho paenge.
NDTV: To ap keh rahi hai media has distorted the story or overplayed it?
Mehbooba Mufti: Mujhe lagta hai media ko bhi, see you have been coming to Kashmir, I think you understand it much more than anybody. Mujhe lagta hai aur bhi jo humarey media ke badey badey log hai, bade senior log hai, I would not like to name them, aapke jo level ke log hai, mujhe lagta hai unko aake Kashmir jyada ana padega. Correspondents to theek hai, they need to feel Kashmir ki jo pain hai, jo agni hai, jab tak Kashmir ke log mulk ke logon ke saath hasna nahi seekhenge jab tak mullk ke log Kashmir ke logo ke sath rona nahi seekhnge, mujhe lagta hai ye jo khai humary beech mai hai, jisko my father is trying to build bridges, us khai ko bharna chahte hai, is waqt modi ji ke sath milke, tab tak ye khai nahi bharegi jab tak ap log humein support nahi karenge.
NDTV: Apko BJP ne kuch convey kiya ki they are upset with this comment?
Mehbooba Mufti: No, no mere sath koi aisi
NDTV: Aisi koi baat nahi hui, privately bhi nahi?
Mehbooba Mufti: Nahi, nothing, nothing.
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