In another massive setback for former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, a People’s Democratic Party (PDP) worker has been booked under the Public Safety Act (PSA) for instigating the youth.
According to preliminary information, a worker of the Mehbooba Mufti’s party PDP who has been charged under the PSA has been identified as Peerzada Mohammad Shafi Shah, a resident of Qazigund of Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir. As of now, the PDP worker has been lodged at a police station in Qazigund. However, according to reports, Peerzada, also a Waqf committee member, is likely to be shifted from Qazigund to Kotbalwal jail in Jammu.
Notably, earlier in September, the J&K police booked seven people including two clerics under PSA for instigating youths in the Union Territory. Reacting sharply to this, Mufti said that the development reflect the communal mindset of the BJP and questioned why the religious scholars were booked under PSA.
Mehbooba Mufti communalises Mahatma Gandhi’s favourite hymn
Stoking a big row a few days earlier, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti communalised the singing of Mahatma Gandhi’s favourite hymn ‘Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram’. Taking to Twitter, she shared a video of students from the Government High School at Nagam village in Kulgam where the students are seen singing this hymn as part of the preparations for Gandhi Jayanti. However, the former J&K CM contended that this reflected the ‘Hindutva’ agenda of the Centre. Moreover, she claimed that a refusal to sing this hymn will attract detention under the PSA and the UAPA.
Responding to Mufti’s tirade, J&K BJP president Ravinder Raina accused her of trying to divide people on the basis of religion. “When students sing ‘Lab Pe Aati Hai Dua Banke’ no one objects. But when it is Raghupati Raghav Rajaram, Mehbooba Mufti has problems. This is nothing but a political gimmick and dirty politics. The people of Jammu and Kashmir understand why Mehbooba Mufti is making such controversial statements,” the BJP leader said.
