Ruveda Salam, who became the >first Kashmiri woman to crack the Union Public Services Commission examination and joined the IPS cadre last year, on Friday criticised the Mehbooba Mufti government over civilian killings and use of pellet guns, triggering online barbs even as a Jammu & Kashmir police officer has sought action against her.
Without naming the Chief Minister, Ms. Salam, now an IAS officer and resident of restive Kupwara district, wrote on Facebook: “From wooing voters while wearing colour green to painting red the same Valley streets, and then they question the credentials of the same religion whose symbols they used to mask their evil deeds.”
Ms. Salam said she was “moved and pained by the murder of a Chattabal youth”, who was found dead in Srinagar with 360 pellets lodged in his body.
Online spat Ms. Salam’s remarks have fuelled an online debate, with Senior Superintendent of Police Harmeet Singh Mehta asking her to “quit and join separatists.”
Ms. Salam retorted, saying: “I didn’t mind the ‘ignorant lady’ comment by one of our worthy police officers of J&K. Although it was in bad taste . Writing what you truly feel inside is often snubbed by dictating to you to resign and join separatists. Probably, reflecting the general false belief that all Kashmiris are terrorists and they should be either silenced or driven away to the neighbouring country.”
