Jammu: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti Tuesday slammed the government for “targeting civilians while fighting militants”.
Addressing a group of youth at the party office here, she said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was dividing the society by pitching Hindus and Muslims against each other in the name of religion only to reap electoral benefits.
Mufti, who is in Jammu on a five-day tour, while referring to the Hyderpora gunfight, said that there were allegations of using the house owner as a human shield.
“The family alleged that he was killed along with a young doctor. It hurts when you start targeting civilians while fighting militants,” she said. Targeting the ruling dispensation, Mufti said that BJP was trying to divert the attention of the people from the real issues as it had nothing to show in the name of development.
“It dismally failed to employ youth, address the issues of the farmers, and is polarising the country with an eye on elections in UP and other places,” she said referring to recent incidents in UP, Tripura, and Maharashtra.
“For me, Jammu, where I was taken care of by the family of K D Sethi, an emancipated soul and a champion of human rights and communal harmony, is a shining example of secularism. We have to fight together to retain that spirit of Jammu and fail the nefarious designs of those who want to create a communal wedge among different communities here,” she said.