Politics being done in the name of 'Hindutva', says Mehbooba

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday claimed that politics in the country is presently being done in the name of "Hindutva".

Referring to invoking of National Security Act (NSA) against three persons accused of illegal cow slaughter in the communally sensitive Khandwa region in Madhya Pradesh, Mufti claimed that Muslims are being killed in the name of cow vigilantism and instead of taking action the Congress government in the state puts them in jails under the NSA.

"Monuments and old cities with Muslim names are being given Hindu names. There is a race to build the temple. Muslims are killed in the name of cow vigilantism, instead of taking action government puts them in jails under the NSA like in Madhya Pradesh. Politics being done presently in name of Hindutva," she said.

Mehbooba hailed Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's decision for announcing to rename Baloki Forest Reserve in Pakistan after Guru Nanak, the Sikh community's holy figure and expressed his wish to build a university in his name.

"In Pakistan, they formed an Act to save temples and want to name a forest reserve and a university after Guru Nanak ji. If you compare you will feel that there is some kind of exchange of ideas between our nation and Pakistan as India was formed on the foundation of secularism and Pakistan formed on basis of religion," Mehbooba said.

In a tweet, Mehbooba on Sunday said that while Indian government's "top priority" is seemingly renaming historic cities and building Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, on the other hand, it is heartening to see that Pakistan has initiated steps to name Baloki forest reserve after Guru Nanak and create a university in his name.

Ever since the split between the PDP and the BJP in Jammu and Kashmir, Mehbooba has on several occasions criticised the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre.

Since the BJP came to power at the Centre, the government has given nod to the renaming of several towns and villages across India. Recently, Allahabad was renamed as Prayagraj and Faizabad district was renamed Ayodhya district in Uttar Pradesh.