PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday targeted the BJP-led government at the Centre, saying embracing Taliban-ruled Afghanistan while “targeting” Muslims of India is a stark reminder of the “internal hypocrisy” of the party. The PDP leader accused the party of marginalizing India’s Muslim population while simultaneously engaging in diplomatic and developmental cooperation with the Taliban regime in Afghanistan.
Her remarks came at a time when India has decided to upgrade its ties with Afghanistan and Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi is visiting India.“In the name of ‘Love Jihad,’ ‘Land Jihad,’ ‘Vote Jihad’ and ‘Cow Jihad, the BJP has repeatedly targeted its own Muslim population propagating narratives that demonize them. At the same time India the mother of democracy under BJP has decided to embrace Taliban the harbinger of jihad,” she charged in a post on X.
Mufti highlighted what she described as the “blatant contradiction” in the BJP’s policies. She noted that while the party propagates narratives such to target and demonize Muslims in India, it has chosen to extend educational scholarships and developmental aid to Afghan students.She said India has chosen to extend all kinds of aid to rebuild Afghanistan, including offering educational scholarships, to Afghan students.
“While fostering good relations with Afghanistan may be strategically important it raises a glaring contradiction – India’s own Muslim population who have contributed to the nation’s independence, identity and progress are being systematically marginalised,” the PDP president charged.She pointed to the withdrawal of scholarships for Muslim students and the closure of madrasas as examples of systematic marginalization, calling these moves “a stark reminder of internal hypocrisy.”The former Chief Minister stressed that international diplomacy cannot substitute for domestic harmony and equality.
Mehbooba, a former chief minister of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, said maintaining international relationships is vital, but the foundation of a stable and harmonious nation lies in fostering trust, respect and equality within its own borders, particularly with its minority community.“Maintaining international relationships is vital, but the foundation of a stable and harmonious nation lies in fostering trust, respect, and equality within its own borders, particularly with its minority communities,” she said.
Concluding her statement, Mehbooba Mufti appealed to the central leadership, indirectly referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as “Bulldozer Baba,” urging the government to address these domestic issues seriously and ensure that India’s own citizens are not left behind while extending aid abroad.
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