Mehbooba condemns al-Qaeda threat

By PTI

SRINAGAR: PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday condemned the terrorist organisation al-Qaeda’s threat to India over the remarks against Prophet Mohammad by now-suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma, and said Muslims cannot tolerate any disrespect to the Prophet.

“I condemn threats of every sort, be it by al-Qaeda or some other organisation. But it is true that there is anger in the whole Muslim community because of the comments by the BJP spokesperson. They (Muslims) are in pain as we can tolerate anything but we cannot tolerate any inappropriate remarks against the Prophet,” Mehbooba told reporters here.

The former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said as far as the al-Qaeda threat was concerned, “I fear that it will give another excuse to the BJP to push its narrative that the Hindus are in danger. So, it should be condemned.” She said the BJP should have taken action against its spokesperson earlier by respecting the sentiments of the people of the country.

“But they (BJP) became conscious only after the Muslim countries condemned it,” she said. “Indians working outside are respected a lot by the people there as they think they are from a secular country, where every religion is respected. So, when such signals go out from our country, it lowers the prestige of the country,” she said.

Asked about a lesser number of devotees at the annual Kheer Bhawani festival, Mehbooba said it was because of the fear among the Kashmiri Pandit community after the recent killings.

“At a time when there is an atmosphere of fear, it is expected that a lesser number of people will visit the temple. But I am hopeful that the situation will not remain like this and God willing, they will come in thousands next year like they used to before,” she said. She alleged that the Centre was not allowing normal political activities in Kashmir Valley.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal staged a protest in favour of Kashmir Pandits and against their killings in the national capital, but the political parties in the valley were not allowed to do so.

Asked about National Conference president Farooq Abdullah’s remarks that the party will contest the election from Surankote on its own, Mehbooba said the people of Jammu and Kashmir want the Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration — of which both the NC and the PDP are a part — to fight unitedly.

“What Farooq sahib has said, I cannot comment on that. But I believe that the people of J-K want that we all stand united as we are facing a huge challenge. Elections or otherwise, if we are not united, then there are people who are on the verge of erasing our existence. So it is important that we are united,” she said.