After intermediaries failed to cut ice with the separatist leadership to bring peace in Kashmir, the war of words between the PDP and the Hurriyat has escalated. For the second time in the recent past, the PDP-BJP coalition government directly appealed to Hurriyat chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani to help Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti bring order on the streets. Geelani, however, hit back and advised Mehbooba to resign to be with her people and termed her as a “stooge of New Delhi” out to kill her own people, including women and children, for the sake of power. He also termed the government’s appeal an “emotional blackmail”.
In his appeal to Geelani, PDP spokesman Dr Mehboob Beigh said that he should consider Mehbooba Mufti as his own daughter and help her bring peace and order in Kashmir. Mehboob said that it is only fair that Mehbooba be given a chance to address the grievances of the protesters and claimed that she genuinely deserves to be given such a chance.