Political Storm: Iltija Mufti’s Gaza Statement Under Fire

BJP leader and former deputy chief minister Kavinder Gupta accused Iltija Mufti of siding with terrorists

Peoples Democratic Party leader (PDP) Iltija Mufti courted controversy after saying Muslims face oppression in Kashmir and Gaza, triggering harsh reactions from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The leader, however, retorted by saying that she does not need lectures from a party whose MP eulogises Godse.

Itlija, the daughter of PDP president and former chief minister (CM) Mehbooba Mufti, had made the remarks during her campaign in Tangmarg on Sunday as some areas had witnessed protests against the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.

“Across the world, you see, mostly tyranny is happening on Muslims, whether Kashmir or Gaza. What Israel is doing there is wrong and we condemn that. What they did yesterday is wrong and this tyranny we won’t allow anywhere,” she said to a group of people as campaigning ended for the third phase on Sunday.

BJP spokesperson Altaf Thakur said there was vibrant democracy in Jammu and Kashmir. “And Muslims are happy across India where they have every right. In J&K, there has been massive voting as people expressed their democratic right. Iltija’s claims are without basis. It is unfortunate that they are comparing Kashmir to Gaza. It is PDP’s ideology to compare a place like Gaza to J&K which is democratic part of a country where they get every right,” he said.

BJP leader and former deputy chief minister Kavinder Gupta accused Iltija of siding with terrorists. “They are shedding tears for those who are terrorists. They are crying for those who have spread terror across the world. And this indicates they are somehow supporters of terrorists. They are doing communal politics,” he told a news channel.

Iltija, while talking to HT, retorted saying she did not need lectures from people whose MP was accused in blasts. “I don’t need lectures from them. Their own MP Sadvi Pragya Thakur eulogises Godse and was accused in Malegaon blasts,” she said.

Nasrallah was killed in an air strike by Israel on Friday in Beirut, the capital of Lebanon. Hezbollah, operating from Lebanon, and Israel have traded fire since the Israel-Hamas war started on October 7.

Later talking to the media, Mufti said her heart was in pain over the incident. “Our hearts are heavy. There is pain in our hearts. Nasrallah sahib fought for those who were facing tyranny in Gaza, although he wasn’t from there. People, here, should have the right to protest. What is the problem in protest? They want to protest against the Israeli policy of genocide. See how they are carpet bombing Lebanon,” she said.

As the news of Nasrallah’s killing spread in Kashmir on Saturday, many areas, particularly those with dominant presence of Shia Muslims in capital Srinagar erupted in protest. The protests continued on Sunday in some areas of central Kashmir’s Budgam. Shops were also closed in some areas of central Kashmir in protest against the strike.

Iltija’s mother Mehbooba Mufti had suspended her election campaign on the last day of campaigning on Sunday in solidarity with Nasrallah. North Kashmir’s 16 seats and 24 constituencies in Jammu division are going to polls in the last phase of J&K elections on October 1.