Facing outrage over her “pigeons among cats” remark in reference to separate colonies for migrant Pandits, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday said the phrase was distorted and she was not referring to the whole Muslim population of the State.
“The Opposition is trying to make it appear as if I said that every Kashmiri is a militant. My remarks were distorted. Kashmiri Muslims are fed up with violence. Kashmiri Pandits aren’t afraid of Kashmiri Muslims. They are afraid of those who perpetrated the Wandhama massacre [in which 23 Pandits were killed]. On that day, I saw Muslim women mourning their brethren,” said Ms. Mufti in the Assembly.
Without naming any outfit, Ms. Mufti said, “Who killed [separatist leader] Abdul Gani Lone? Who shot Mirwaiz Mohammad Farooq? The workers of Congress, PDP, NC and BJP are living with security. Should we then not provide a sense of security to Pandits. We have to make them comfortable.”
Separatist leaders Sayed Ali Geelani (86) and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, while issuing a protest call after prayers on Friday against separate colonies for Pandits and soldiers, described the Chief Minister’s remark as “humiliating.”
“Lands in Budgam, Baramullah and Bandipora districts have been identified to establish the proposed Sainik and Pandit colonies. The rulers are spreading lies in this regard,” alleged Mr. Geelani. Mr. Geelani also criticised Ms. Mufti for the continuous detention of the Mirwaiz and JKLF chief Mohammad Yasin Malik for the past seven days.
Mr. Malik, who has been arrested and shifted to the Srinagar Central Jail, in a statement said, “When the so-called rulers dub Kashmiri Muslims as cats [killers], how can one stay silent? People of Kashmir will hold peaceful protests against the agenda to change the demographics in the State.”
