New Delhi: A police complaint has been filed against the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader and daughter of PDP leader and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, Iltija Mufti, for her allegedly inflammatory remarks targeting Hindutva, Lord Rama and the Hindu faith.
The complaint, lodged with the Delhi Cyber Crime Cell by Vithal Chowdhary, President of Youth 4 Panun Kashmir (Y4PK), cites sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and the IT Act, alleging that Iltija’s statements were deeply offensive and aimed at inciting communal discord.
The controversy erupted following Mufti’s reaction to a video depicting alleged violence against minor Muslim boys who refused to chant “Jai Shri Ram.” In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Iltija stated that “Ram the deity must hang his head in shame” and further described Hindutva as a “disease that has afflicted millions of Indians.” This statement sparked widespread outrage and condemnation.
Mufti later attempted to clarify her position, claiming her words were deliberately misconstrued. She asserted that her criticism was directed at Hindutva, a political ideology, and not Hinduism as a religion. She differentiated between Hinduism, which she described as a religion of peace and compassion, and Hindutva, which she characterised as a harmful ideology needing to be eradicated. Her statement emphasised that her opposition was to Hindutva’s exclusionary philosophy, not Hinduism itself.
However, this clarification did little to quell the mounting criticism. Jammu and Kashmir BJP leader Ravinder Raina criticised Mufti’s choice of words, emphasising that while political differences are acceptable, hurting religious sentiments is unacceptable. He called for an apology from Mufti.
Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi further condemned Mufti’s remarks, defending Hindutva as “an integral part of India’s culture and tradition”. Naqvi urged those unfamiliar with Hindutva to study the ideology and understand its true meaning.
“Hindutva is desh ki ‘sanskriti’ hai, ‘sanskar’ hai and those who are unaware of the ‘sanskriti and sanskar’ of this country definitely need to be given a message about Sanatan culture once again,” ANI quoted Naqvi as saying.
