Srinagar: Former chief minister of J&K and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president, Mehbooba Mufti on Friday said that to protect the identity of the State was the question of ‘do and die for us.’

Mehbooba while talking to reporters on the side lines of a function at Dak Bunglow in Baramulla while reacting to the demand of elections in the State, said that “elections can be held later but at present protecting identity of Jammu and Kashmir was the question of do or die for us.”

She said that if not today, then elections can be held later and any party like National Conference (NC), PDP or others can form the government, “but at present separatists are caged and it stands the responsibility of mainstream political parties to safeguard identity of JK.”

The PDP chief added that it was (NC founder) late Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah who brought India’s Constitution to the State and “now it is our responsibility to save the State so that India’s constitution will also be protected.”

Asked about NC patron and Member of Parliament Dr Farooq Abdullah led delegation’s meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Nde Delhi, Mehbooba said, “I can’t say whether Farooq sahab met PM to seek his life over any case, but I was disappointed only when Omar Abdullah said that they talked about elections while he maintained silence over other issues. They should have atleast come clear before people about the Chaos and other things.”

Reacting to a query, the former CM alleged that BJP top leaders were creating chaos in the Valley. “The statements of BJP top brass are the reason behind chaos in Kashmir,” she said.

She added that arrival of more troops to the Valley and ‘side-lining’ Jammu and Kashmir police create apprehensions that something fishy is cooking.