PDP president and former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti on Monday apologised for a controversial remark made while addressing a protest in Delhi against the alleged use of pellet guns on students, saying her comments on Kashmir did not reflect what she had intended to convey.
“If the remarks have hurt the people, I apologise,” Mehbooba said addressing a press conference here on the occasion of the party’s 27th foundation day. Mufti sparked a political row after remarks made during a protest near Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on Thursday.
Mehbooba visited Jantar Mantar on July 23 to extend support to the Cockroach Janta Party-led protest against alleged examination irregularities. While opposing police action against student protesters in Delhi, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief appeared to defend the use of pellet guns in the valley in the past, saying that it was different in Kashmir as the security forces were fighting militancy.
Mehbooba clarified on Tuesday, saying she meant to say that the security forces get an excuse to use force against Kashmiris as there is militancy.”I meant to say the words ‘bahana banta hai’ (they get an excuse), but I couldn’t say ‘bahana’ as I was talking to a lot of people,” she added.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and his party National Conference had sought an apology from Mehbooba over her remarks. On Monday he called for Mehbooba’s apology said the PDP president should have “stayed home” instead of going to Jantar mantar. Irresponsible” statements made by people who have been in a position of power can act as a deterrent for ordinary people to fight for their rights, he said.
Abdullah said, “When a former chief minister says use of force is justified in Kashmir for fighting militancy, who will come out to fight for their rights? It would have been better if she had not gone to Jantar Mantar.””The biggest mistake is not making one, but refusing to admit it. Everyone makes mistakes in life. We are not angels that we can’t make mistakes, and PDP makes the most. If there is a mistake, apologize and end the chapter,” CM Omar told reporters in Sangam-Bijbehara.He said Mufti was shifting blame instead of accepting responsibility.
“Instead of owning up, they first blamed AI and now they are blaming us. We did not send Mehbooba ji to Delhi; she went there on her own. We had invited her to join us at Jantar Mantar, but she didn’t turn up. Had she come, she would not have made this statement,” the CM said.
Post Comment