After losing badly in the Lok Sabha elections this year and the recently concluded Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, PDP President Mehbooba Mufti feels that she can make a comeback in politics by raising religious issues. That’s why she has started giving provocative statements. Mirwaiz Umar Farooq is also mixing his tune. If we listen to the statements of Mehbooba and Mirwaiz, it will seem that both are reading the same script.
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq’s speech
Let us tell you that Hurriyat Conference Chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has expressed concern over the recent orders of the courts regarding survey of religious places and has demanded protection of Muslim heritage and their rights. Addressing a gathering at Jamia Masjid in Srinagar on Friday, Kashmir’s Mirwaiz (chief religious leader) Farooq condemned the death of four youths in clashes during protests against the survey of the Mughal-era royal Jama Masjid in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal. He said, “The death of these youth in discriminatory police action is extremely sad and condemnable.”
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Mirwaiz claimed that a court in Ajmer in Rajasthan has ordered a survey of Ajmer Sharif Dargah. In fact, a local court in Ajmer has issued notices to the Dargah Committee, the Ministry of Minority Affairs and the Archaeological Survey of India after a petition was filed regarding the existence of a temple in place of the Dargah.
Mirwaiz said, “Earlier, Gyanvapi Masjid was surveyed on the orders of the court. It seems that it is becoming a trend that first doubts are raised, then the court orders a survey and then the claims of the majority are satisfied.” He said, ”Babri Masjid issue… .is fresh in the minds of Muslims.” The Hurriyat Conference president said, ”This is an extremely disturbing and serious issue not only for India and Kashmir but for Muslims across the subcontinent and the world.” If according to the Preamble of the Constitution Bharat It is a neutral country and is governed by the Constitution, which also includes the Places of Worship Act, then why are such issues being raised continuously?” Regarding the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, he said that it is a matter of concern for Muslims and hence Muttahida. Majlis-e-Ulema (a group of religious organizations) has sent a letter to Jagdambika Pal, chairperson of the joint parliamentary committee looking into the issue, seeking an appointment with her.
Mehbooba Mufti’s statement
On the other hand, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti held former Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud responsible for his ‘bad decision’ and claimed that the decision has led to searches in mosques and is leading to division of the country. Can push further, because the foundation of secularism is shaking. The former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir said that these actions were leading to divisive topics to divert public attention from issues like development and jobs. During a visit to the PDP headquarters in Jammu, Mehbooba alleged that the secular foundation of the country was being weakened and claimed that Hindus were being pitted against Muslims. Mufti told reporters, “I want to say that one of our former chief justices has done a very bad thing to this country by giving a judgment regarding the Gyanvapi Masjid which allows action on complaints.” “It will lead to division of the country. It is leading us to bloodshed, as we saw in some incidents in Uttar Pradesh, where four-five innocent people got trapped in the chaos,” he said.
Referring to the Supreme Court’s previous decision to maintain the status quo of all religious places, Mufti said, “This is despite the 1991 Supreme Court decision, which had clearly stated that the status of all religious places, as it was in 1947 The buildings (be they temples or mosques) should not be altered.” He said, “Unfortunately, the former Chief Justice has given a judgment which has led to a situation where Shivalingas are being searched in every mosque. This interference has even reached holy Muslim sites like Ajmer Sharif, Which is important for Hindus also.” The PDP chief said more Hindus than Muslims visit Ajmer Sharif to offer prayers and seek blessings. “This dargah is more than 800 years old. If this trend continues, I fear they will soon start searching Muslim houses,” he said.
Pointing to the deteriorating situation on such issues, the former Chief Minister said, “We should not forget that leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru, Gandhiji, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad and Sardar Patel had built this country on the foundation of secularism. Now The same foundation is being shaken. Hindus and Muslims are being pitted against each other.”
BJP’s reaction
On the other hand, BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh termed as ‘baseless’ PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti’s claim that the secular foundation of the country is being weakened and said it reflects her (Mufti’s) ‘ideological bankruptcy’. Chugh described BJP as the world’s largest democratic party with more than 11.5 crore members across the country and 2.57 lakh members in Jammu and Kashmir alone. “Mehbooba Mufti’s remarks are baseless and clearly reflect her ideological bankruptcy,” the BJP leader told reporters on the sidelines of an event in Jammu. Even the people of Jammu and Kashmir have rejected him.
