SRINAGAR, May 6: PDP president Mehbooba Mufti criticized the ruling National Conference (NC) for using religious scripture as a political tool to divert attention from its governance failures. Speaking to reporters, Mufti emphasized the importance of keeping religious texts out of politics.
“For God’s sake, do not drag Quran into politics. They (NC) are doing this to hide their failures over the past two years of being in government. People are disheartened with them,” Mufti stated, highlighting the growing discontent among the populace.
Her statements followed a query regarding an incident involving MLA Zadibal and NC chief spokesman Tanvir Sadiq, who challenged Mufti and her MLAs to swear by the Quran that they did not vote for the BJP during the Rajya Sabha elections last year.
An RTI response revealed that the PDP had not appointed a chief agent for the Rajya Sabha polls held in Jammu and Kashmir in October. This has led to allegations from the NC that the PDP’s three MLAs voted in favor of the BJP, escalating political tensions.
Mufti asserted that the NC’s current tactics aimed to distract from pressing issues facing the state. “Houses are being demolished under the garb of fighting drugs. Earlier the same thing was done under the pretext of combating terrorism. Employees are being summarily dismissed while open merit students are suffering immensely. All this government has done so far is be a mute spectator,” she added.
The political drama reflects broader dissatisfaction with the ruling party’s performance in managing critical governance issues. The former chief minister reiterated that the NC is welcome to engage in political rivalry but should refrain from dragging religious scriptures into their disputes.
As Jammu and Kashmir faces numerous challenges, including economic instability and social unrest, politics continues to play a significant role in shaping the region’s future. The recent comments from Mufti highlight the ongoing political polarization and the demand for accountability from those in power.
