SRINAGAR, May 6: PDP president Mehbooba Mufti has sharply criticized the ruling National Conference (NC) for dragging religious scripture into politics to divert attention from its failures. She emphasized that the NC’s actions serve to mask two years of disappointing governance.
In a statement to reporters, Mehbooba implored, “For God’s sake, do not drag the Quran into politics. The National Conference is attempting to hide its failures from the people of Jammu and Kashmir.”
This reaction followed a comment from NC chief spokesman Tanvir Sadiq, who asked PDP representatives, including Mehbooba, to swear by the Quran that they had not voted for the BJP during the Rajya Sabha polls last year. Mehbooba’s response underscores growing tensions within the political landscape of the valley.
An RTI reply revealed that the PDP had not appointed a chief agent for the Rajya Sabha elections held in October, fueling suspicions regarding its MLAs’ votes. This lack of appointment led to allegations from the National Conference that three PDP MLAs supported the BJP during those crucial elections.
Responding to these claims, Mehbooba accused the NC of attempting to shift public focus from pressing issues in governance. She claimed, “Houses are being demolished under the guise of a fight against drugs, mirroring previous justifications used in the battle against terrorism.”
The former Chief Minister highlighted a concerning trend where employees in the region face arbitrary dismissals while students with open merit suffer undue stress. “The current government has done little more than observe as these crises unfold,” she remarked.
Mehbooba urged the ruling party to focus on genuine political competition rather than misuse religious texts for political gain. “The National Conference can challenge us politically, but they should avoid intertwining religion in these disputes,” she stated.
As political tensions in Jammu and Kashmir heat up, Mehbooba’s remarks reflect a wider concern regarding the role of religious symbols in political discourse, especially amidst allegations of governmental neglect in addressing key issues impacting the populace.
