Omar Abdullah asks Mehbooba Mufti to apologise for remarks at Jantar Mantar justifying use of pellets against Kashmiris

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday asked People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti to apologise for her remarks justifying use of force against Kashmiris during her speech at Jantar Mantar in Delhi.

He said that Mufti should have stayed home instead of going to Jantar Mantar and giving irresponsible statements against Kashmiris. Mufti visited Jantar Mantar on July 23 to extend support to the Cockroach Janta Party-led protest against medical college entrance examination paper leaks. She opposed the police action against student protesters in Delhi but stated that the “use of pellet guns in the Kashmir Valley in the past is understandable” as the security forces were fighting militancy.

The comments drew backlash from rival political parties, including Abdullah’s National Conference (NC). The PDP, however, accused the ruling NC of using artificial intelligence to twist Mehbooba’s statement. The People’s Conference activists also took out a protest march against Mufti, demanding her apology. The political parties reminded Mufti of her tenure as chief minister in the PDP-BJP government, when pellets blinded hundreds and injured thousands of youngsters.


“When a former chief minister says use of force is justified in Kashmir for fighting militancy, who will come out to fight for their rights? It would have been better if she had not gone to Jantar Mantar. When we (politicians) support oppression and use of force by the Centre, who will support us if people want to protest for the restoration of statehood? They will not come out because Mehbooba ji has said ‘yeh to banta hai (this is justified)’,” Abdullah said.

The CM said Mufti did not visit Jantar Mantar for the ruling NC’s protest to demand the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood, but went there for the students’ protest.

“She went there and justified the misuse of power and force on the pretext of fighting militancy… How does she justify it? Should the children not get justice because there is militancy? Should passports be stopped because there is militancy? Should laws not be implemented because there is militancy? I could not understand how it is justified,” said Abdullah.

The chief minister alleged that the PDP chief had an old habit of singing different tunes in Delhi and back home in Kashmir. “For a second, let us say that she was trying to please some people there. She has not forgotten the old habit of speaking different languages at different places,” he said.

Abdullah said Mehbooba should apologise for her statement. “She would not lose stature if she had called you (media) to her office and said she was carried away by emotions and she is sorry for it. Instead of apologising, they are rubbing salt on wounds. One of their MLAs is saying that it is AI. Are we fools?” he asked. “You, PDP, have not apologised for the 2015 accord with the BJP and you have not regretted the 2016 situation. Now you are saying it is par for the course,” he said.

Earlier, Awami Ittehad Party chief spokesperson Inam Un Nabi accused Mufti of “hypocrisy” for condemning the use of force against protesting students in Delhi while justifying the same in Kashmir.

“It is ironic that a leader whose tenure remains associated with one of the most turbulent and painful periods… Mufti must first stand before the youth of Kashmir with folded hands and apologise for the suffering they endured during her government. Without that apology, every lecture on democracy and human rights rings hollow,” said Nabi.