india-s-secular-fabric-under-threat-says-mehbooba-mufti

Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti on Friday criticised a judgement by the former chief justice of India, alleging that it has the potential to create divisions along communal lines.

She expressed strong concerns over the growing tensions and cited incidents that could lead to further discord among the communities.

 

Mehbooba said that places of religious importance, whether temples, mosques, or shrines, should remain as they were in 1947. “These places should not be tampered with in any way. However, the recent judgement has opened a path where controversies over religious places are escalating.

 

Before this, Shivlings were being claimed in the mosques, and now even shrines like Ajmer Sharif are at risk,” she said.

 

Highlighting the importance of Ajmer Sharif, Mehbooba said it is a site revered by people of all faiths, including Hindus, who visit in massive numbers to seek blessings. She even called the shrine a symbol of harmony, with a history spanning over 800 years.

 

She even feared that such developments could lead to disturbances in the country, akin to the partition of 1947.

 

While referring to the recent violence in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, where several people have lost their lives, Mehbooba warned that such incidents, if left unchecked, could further push the nation into chaos.

 

She also accused certain forces of erasing the secular foundation of India, which leaders such as Jawaharlal Nehru, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Sardar Patel, and Mahatma Gandhi worked hard to achieve.

 

“The secular fabric of our nation is being shaken. Instead of addressing unemployment, improving education, or providing better healthcare, efforts are being made to pit Hindus and Muslims against each other,” Mehbooba said.

 

She held the former chief justice responsible for playing his “negative role” on this issue, stating his decisions have contributed to the climate of unrest.

 

Mehbooba urged the government to prioritise unity and focus on the issues affecting common people rather than stoking communal tensions.