New Delhi: Condemning the militant attack on Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) by suspected fighters of the Pakistan-based militant outfit, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Chief Minister (CM) Mehbooba Mufti has stirred controversy by saying that she felt ashamed as a Muslim because of the attack.
“I condemn the attack. I feel ashamed as a Muslim that such an incident happened during Ramadan that is observed for piety and penance,” Mufti told reporters on Sunday evening after laying floral wreath on the coffins of eight CRPF personnel killed in Pampore on Saturday.
“Allah has ordered that we should stay away from all bad and sinful acts during Ramzan [Ramadan]. Nothing can be achieved by this. We are only defaming Kashmir and the state by these acts. We also deal a setback to the religion we practice,” she added
Mufti expressed solidarity with the families of the deceased CRPF personnel and prayed for the peace of the departed souls.
“My heart goes out to the families of the CRPF men killed in the gruesome attack. I fail to understand how somebody can indulge in such senseless acts in the name of Islam. Such attacks are desperate attempts by the militants to derail the peace and reconciliation process started by the state government,” said.
“The killing of people who were doing their duty brings a bad name to Kashmir and those who indulge in such acts are not doing any service to Islam. Such acts deprive mothers of their sons, sisters of their brothers and families of their livelihood,” she added.
The opposition National Conference (NC) on Monday attacked Mufti over her remarks.
“Mufti’s comment is despicable and highly condemnable. This is the same Mehbooba Mufti who used to say that terror has no religion. Now suddenly she sees terror as an offshoot of Islam for which Muslims should be ashamed. This is shameful coming from a chief minister,” NC spokesperson Junaid Mattu said.
“While our hearts go out to the families of the martyred CRPF personnel, we are shocked at the chief minister’s continued desperation to jump on the Islamist terror bandwagon. One wonders what her compulsions are but this is tragic. She is either still trying to prove her loyalty to Hindu fundamentalist outfit Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) or she has pledged to assail Muslim societies, Muslim countries and Islam as a convenient medium of political empowerment,” Mattu added.
In a tweet, NC leader and former J&K CM Omar Abdullah said, “so Mehbooba Mufti has joined the Islamic terror bandwagon after spending years saying terror had no religion.”
Reacting to the incident, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh issued a stern warning to Pakistan.
“We will not fire first. But if Pakistan fires, then we will not keep a count of our bullets,” Singh said at a function in Punjab.
