Srinagar: PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday hit out at the BJP-led central government, accusing it of “embracing Taliban-ruled Afghanistan” while “targeting” India’s Muslim population — a move she described as a glaring example of the party’s “internal hypocrisy.”
Her remarks came amid India’s decision to upgrade ties with Afghanistan and the ongoing visit of Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi to New Delhi.
“In the name of ‘Love Jihad,’ ‘Land Jihad,’ ‘Vote Jihad,’ and ‘Cow Jihad,’ the BJP has consistently demonized Indian Muslims. Yet, under the same government, India — the so-called mother of democracy — has chosen to embrace the Taliban, the self-proclaimed harbingers of jihad,” Mehbooba said in a post on X.
She noted that India has been extending various forms of aid to Afghanistan, including educational scholarships for Afghan students, but questioned the government’s treatment of its own Muslim citizens.
“While strengthening ties with Afghanistan may hold strategic importance, it exposes a stark contradiction — India’s own Muslims, who have played a vital role in the country’s freedom, identity, and development, are being systematically marginalized,” she said.
The PDP chief further cited the withdrawal of scholarships for Muslim students and the closure of madrasas as “clear evidence of this hypocrisy.”
Emphasizing that foreign relations must go hand-in-hand with domestic harmony, the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said, “The strength of a nation lies in trust, respect, and equality within its borders, especially towards its minorities.”
“Hope Bulldozer Baba is listening!” she added, taking a swipe at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
