SRINAGAR, May 6: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti criticized the ruling National Conference (NC) on Wednesday for using religious scripture to deflect attention from the government’s shortcomings. She asserted that the NC seeks to mask its failures over the past two years by dragging religion into political discourse.
“For God’s sake, do not drag the Quran into politics. The National Conference is resorting to this tactic to hide their failures. People are disheartened with them,” Mehbooba told reporters in Srinagar. Her remarks came in response to NC chief spokesman Tanvir Sadiq and MLA Zadibal, who challenged her and her party’s MLAs to pledge on the Quran that they had not voted for the BJP during the Rajya Sabha polls in Jammu and Kashmir last year.
Recent information obtained through the Right to Information (RTI) Act revealed that the PDP did not designate a chief agent for the Rajya Sabha elections held in October 2022. This led to allegations from the NC that the PDP’s three MLAs supported BJP candidates in the elections.
Mehbooba Mufti strongly condemned the NC’s tactics, claiming, “The National Conference is trying to divert attention from its failures.” She highlighted several pressing issues affecting the residents of Jammu and Kashmir, including the demolition of homes under the guise of fighting drug abuse. “Earlier the same was done under the pretext of fighting terrorism,” she noted.
Furthermore, she pointed out the government’s actions against employees, stating that many are being summarily dismissed, resulting in turmoil for those hoping to secure jobs through open merit. Mehbooba stated, “All this government has done so far is remain a mute spectator.”
The former chief minister emphasized the need for political parties to engage in healthy political competition but urged the ruling NC to refrain from involving religious scriptures in their strategies. She remarked, “Political rivalries should be fought with ideas and policies rather than with sacred texts.”
As Jammu and Kashmir experiences renewed political tensions, Mehbooba’s statements reflect a growing concern among opposition leaders regarding the ruling party’s governance and its impact on civil liberties. She concluded her address by reaffirming her commitment to addressing the issues faced by the people of her constituency and empowering them amid what she described as “growing disillusionment.”
