Mehbooba Mufti Honors Nehru's Unfurling of Tricolour in J&K as Rahul Gandhi Concludes Yatra

On Sunday, Mehbooba Mufti Honors, a former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, reflected on a significant moment in the region’s history as Rahul Gandhi unfurled the Indian national flag at the iconic Lal Chowk in Srinagar. She reminisced about the first time Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first prime minister, unfurled the flag in the Kashmir Valley. In a tweet, Mufti, a leader of the Peoples Democratic Party, wrote, “In 1948, when Prime Minister Nehru first hoisted the flag in Kashmir among a sea of people, it was a historic moment celebrated by all. The people of J&K had successfully repelled invaders, marking the beginning of a new relationship with India built on mutual trust and respect.” She also shared a photo of Nehru from that time alongside a photograph of Rahul Gandhi.

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti reflected on Jawaharlal Nehru’s role in the state’s relationship with India, as Rahul Gandhi unfurled the national flag at the iconic Lal Chowk in Srinagar. She remembered the first time Nehru unfurled the national flag in the Kashmir Valley in 1948, and highlighted how Nehru’s efforts ensured the Muslim-majority state acceded to India, and how he worked to preserve the identity of the people of J&K through constitutional safeguards such as Article 370. She also drew a contrast between Nehru’s actions and the present situation in the state, where, according to her, the constitutional assurances have been demolished by the BJP, and the state has been turned into a military garrison.

Mehbooba Mufti criticized the current government’s handling of the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, specifically mentioning the revocation of Article 370 and the ongoing dispute with China. She also highlighted Nehru’s role in ensuring the state’s accession to India and the constitutional safeguards that were put in place to protect the identity of the people of J&K. She argued that the actions of the present government have betrayed the trust and respect that was established with the people of the state.

Mehbooba Mufti, former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, has recently criticized the central government’s actions on Article 370. On a recent day, when Rahul Gandhi concluded the Congress’s Kanyakumari to Kashmir march by unfurling the national flag in Srinagar, she took the opportunity to express her disappointment with the government.