Mehbooba Mufti Under Fire for Justifying Pellet Gun Use in Kashmir

SRINAGAR: PDP chief and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has come under fire for her remarks at a CJP protest on the use of pellet guns in Kashmir, where she said their use in the Valley was "banta hai" (understandable) given the militancy situation. The ruling National Conference has demanded that she apologise for the statement. Apni Party President and former minister Altaf Bukhari lashed out at Mehbooba Mufti over her remarks branding Kashmiri protesters as militants. "She first went to Jantar Mantar to appease Congress leaders. Now, by branding Kashmir's protesters as militants, she seems equally eager to appease her masters in the BJP. That's what opportunistic politics looks like," he said. After meeting the CJP protesters at Jantar Mantar earlier this week, Mehbooba said there was no justification for using pellet guns against protesters in Delhi. However, she argued that their use in Kashmir was justified due to militancy, saying security forces there face militants, whereas there are no militants here at Jantar Mantar. Video clip of her statement has gone viral on social media, and it has evoked strong criticism from ruling NC and other Kashmir-based parties. NC chief spokesman Tanvir Sadiq said Mehbooba's attempt to rationalise use of force against Kashmiri protesters by casually portraying them as militants is not merely insensitive but a brazen endorsement of a policy that left thousands blinded, maimed and traumatised. Hundreds of Kashmiri youth sustained pellet injuries during the tenure of Mehbooba Mufti as CM from 2016-2018.