India Tomorrow
SRINAGAR—Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Monday alleged that suspended Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Nupur Sharma’s statement against Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was “strategically planned” to divert people’s attention from Kashmiri Pandit issue and target Indian Muslims.
Talking to the media, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief said that India is “no more” known for its democracy.
“Why Nupur Sharma is not being arrested? Nupur Sharma’s statement has tremendously hurt the sentiments of Muslims. Her remarks against Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) were a deliberate act. It was pre-planned. Nupur Sharma’s remarks were aimed to provoke Muslims so that they get a chance to jail them, demolish their homes, and fire at them,” she said.
She added that this country is leading toward disaster. “We have lost our identity as the largest democracy. We are no longer known for democracy but are known for bulldozer,” she said.
On Sunday, police arrested social activist Javed Mohammad and bulldozed his house after violence rocked Prayagraj (formerly Allahabad) over BJP leaders’ derogatory remarks against Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
Massive protests erupted in Prayagraj after Friday prayers against blasphemous remarks. Later the administration put up a notice at the house of Javed Mohammad and asked the inmates to vacate.
Javed Ahmed is a famous social worker, lawyer, and leader of the Welfare Party. His daughter Afreen Fatima is a student leader at JNU. People have taken to Twitter to show solidarity with Afreen Fatima.
UP Police have arrested more than 300 people. Of them, 91 people have been arrested in Allahabad. Around 5000 unknown people have also been booked. Prayagraj police said that the case has been registered under 29 serious sections.
Mehbooba also hit out at BJP over Enforcement Directorate’s summon to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case and said that the saffron party uses those institutions as their tools to silence the voices of those who oppose their policies and question their work.
“From the last many years, ED, NIA, and other government agencies have been misused by BJP as they are treating them as an alliance party which is running in the direction of the Central government,” she said.
“Rahul Gandhi has always been at forefront of raising issues of common people and summoning him is meant to muzzle his voice. This is a witch hunt,” she said.
