‘Our hands are already stained with blood’: Mehbooba warns Omar Abdullah over comments on Indus Treaty | India News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) supremo Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday warned that reopening resolved issues such as the Indus Waters Treaty could increase regional tensions and primarily benefit the BJP. Mufti’s response came after recent comments by Omar Abdullah, Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir.
Abdullah had expressed concern that the Indus Waters Treaty, signed in 1960, limits the options of Jammu and Kashmir. potential for hydropowerwhich has consequences for the economy and residents, especially during the winter months.
Addressing the press in Srinagar, Mufti pointed out that while Jammu and Kashmir has suffered significant losses due to the treaty, “The Indus Waters Treaty is the only pact that has survived despite wars and conflicts between India and Pakistan.” She warned against turning the treaty into a contentious issue, a narrative she attributed to the BJP, stressing that “any further tension will not affect the BJP or other states but will fall on Jammu and Kashmir.”
Abdullah had highlighted the limitations of the treaty at a recent conference in New Delhi, saying that Jammu and Kashmir could only develop continuous projects without storage capacity.
“Due to the treaty barriers, Jammu and Kashmir pays a high price in the peak winter months when power generation hits rock bottom, causing hardships to the people,” said J&K CM.
Responding to J&K CM’s criticism, PDP supremo acknowledged the challenges of the treaty but also emphasized the importance of a measured dialogue.
She pointed to past decisions where power projects were transferred to the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) by former leaders of the Abdullah family. “The late Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah and later Farooq Abdullah ceded significant power projects to NHPC,” she said, urging Abdullah to focus on regaining some of these projects.
Mufti also appealed for financial compensation from the central government if it does not return these power projects as Jammu and Kashmir remains a unique region that produces electricity but continues to face power shortages.
“Jammu and Kashmir is the only state that remains in limbo despite generating electricity. Our electricity goes to the NHPC, which then sells it back to us. So we should not make the Indus Water Treaty an issue and create more tension. between the two countries, which would only benefit the BJP,” the former Prime Minister said.
“If there is a problem, the burden will be borne by the people of Jammu and Kashmir and it will make no difference to the BJP. It will make no difference to Punjab or Rajasthan, but only to Jammu and Kashmir. Our hands are already painted So we have to talk after thinking thoroughly and not reopen issues that have already been resolved to some extent, otherwise we will follow the BJP’s line,” she added.