Latest news with #Mufti
Indian Express
an hour ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Mehbooba Mufti writes to Rahul, urges him to raise ‘targeting' of Muslims in Parliament
Referring to him as a 'rare source of hope for the forgotten and voiceless', former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti on Monday urged Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi to raise the issue of 'victimisation, dispossession and disempowerment' of Muslims in the ongoing Monsoon Session of Parliament. In her letter, Mufti said that the Muslims of India chose to remain in the country due to their faith in the Congress leadership and it was Gandhi's 'responsibility to defend them'. 'The Muslims who chose to remain in India during Partition did so because of the faith they had in the secular leadership of the Congress, from Mahatma Gandhi to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. Today, as the bearer of that legacy, the responsibility falls on your shoulders to uphold and defend the secular and democratic values enshrined in our Constitution,' the letter read. Pointing out that issues like the horrific Pahalgam attack, Operation Sindoor and other critical security matters were expected to dominate discussions in Parliament, the PDP chief wrote, 'I sincerely hope the Opposition, especially the INDIA bloc, raises the growing concern of Muslim victimisation across the country.' Referring to the 'targeting' of Muslims and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar, Mufti said the community is being pushed into 'desperate situations'. 'Under the pretext of targeting 'Bangladeshis' and 'Rohingyas', Muslims are being pushed into increasingly desperate situations. Disturbing media reports have even suggested that some were forced into the sea in attempts to expel them from India. As you rightly highlighted during your visit to Assam, the large-scale demolition of thousands of Muslim homes is deeply troubling. The latest development the SIR being conducted in Bihar appears to be yet another systematic effort to dispossess, disempower, and ultimately disenfranchise Muslims, effectively erasing their presence both symbolically and literally,' she said in the letter. The former CM said while India rightly expresses rage over the treatment of Hindu minority in Pakistan and Bangladesh, there is 'complete silence' when Muslims are targeted in our country. 'There is an unsettling silence, a fear that prevents many from speaking up. As a politician from one of the only Muslim-majority regions that chose to join the Indian Union largely due to the vision and secular character of your great-grandfather, I feel extremely helpless at times. Placing great hope in your leadership I urge you to continue speaking up for a minority that is being steadily marginalised and pushed to the fringes of Indian society,' she said.
India.com
3 hours ago
- Politics
- India.com
Mehbooba Mufti Urges Rahul Gandhi To Speak Out Against Muslim Disempowerment
New Delhi: Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti has urged Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi to speak out against the ongoing 'disempowerment' of Muslims in India. In a letter addressed to Rahul Gandhi, Mehbooba called on him to raise his voice in Parliament against what she described as the "systematic marginalization" of Muslims across the country. Citing recent events, including the Pahalgam attack, Operation Sindoor, and alleged forced displacements in Assam and Bihar, Mufti claimed these incidents reflect a larger pattern of state-sponsored targeting of the Muslim community. She expressed serious concern over the labeling of Muslims, especially in the northeastern and eastern regions of India, as 'Bangladeshis' and 'Rohingyas' to justify their eviction and harassment. Referring to media reports, Mufti highlighted large-scale demolitions of Muslim homes and the use of 'Special Investigation Reports' (SIRs) in Bihar, which she alleged are being misused as tools for collective punishment. 'This silence is an attempt to erase the Muslim presence, both symbolically and literally,' she warned. Mufti also accused the political establishment and mainstream media of exhibiting selective outrage, raising voices over the persecution of Hindus in Pakistan and Bangladesh, while remaining silent on the alleged targeting of Muslims within India. This selective empathy, she cautioned, undermines the secular and democratic fabric of the nation. Invoking the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru, she urged the Congress party to stay true to the constitutional values they championed. She appealed to Rahul Gandhi to use his position and moral responsibility to 'break the silence' and ensure the concerns of the Muslim community are not ignored during the ongoing Parliament session. 'As a politician from a Muslim-majority region, I often find myself helpless,' she wrote, adding that she placed her 'last vestiges of hope' in Rahul Gandhi's leadership to reverse the tide of what she described as growing alienation and exclusion. The letter comes as the opposition INDIA Bloc prepares to corner the BJP-led government on a range of issues during the Monsoon Session, including the state of civil liberties, communal polarisation, and rising incidents of violence. While Congress has yet to issue a formal response, political observers view her letter as both a plea and a challenge to the national opposition to show greater courage and consistency when it comes to the rights of India's largest minority.
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Business Standard
4 hours ago
- Politics
- Business Standard
Mehbooba Mufti urges Rahul Gandhi to raise Muslim issues in Parliament
Mufti said the Muslims who chose to remain in India during Partition did so because of the faith they had in the secular leadership of the Congress party from Mahatma Gandhi to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Press Trust of India Srinagar Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti on Monday urged Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi to raise the issue of alleged Muslim victimisation across the country in the Monsoon session of Parliament, which started on Monday. In a post on X, she alleged that Muslims are being pushed into increasingly desperate situations under the pretext of targeting "Bangladeshis" and "Rohingyas". Disturbing media reports have even suggested that some were forced into the sea in attempts to expel them from India, she added. "Deeply disturbed by the ongoing victimization, dispossession and disempowerment of Muslims on a daily basis - I have written to Rahul Gandhi ji urging him to raise this critical issue in the upcoming Parliament session," Mufti said in the post on X. She said in an environment "increasingly marked by hate and fear", many have "lost hope and feel utterly helpless". "At this moment he stands as a rare source of hope for those who feel forgotten and voiceless," the PDP president said. In the letter to Gandhi, the former chief minister of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir said while the horrific Pahalgam attack, Operation Sindoor and other critical security matters are expected to dominate discussions, she hopes the Opposition, especially the INDIA bloc, raises the "growing concern of Muslim victimisation across the country". "As you rightly highlighted during your visit to Assam the large scale demolition of thousands of Muslim homes is deeply troubling. "The latest development the SIR being conducted in Bihar appears to be yet another systematic effort to dispossess, disempower, and ultimately disenfranchise Muslims, effectively erasing their presence both symbolically and literally," Mufti said, referring to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar. Mufti said the Muslims who chose to remain in India during Partition did so because of the faith they had in the secular leadership of the Congress party from Mahatma Gandhi to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. "Today as the bearer of that legacy the responsibility falls on your shoulders to uphold and defend the secular and democratic values enshrined in our Constitution," she said. "When Hindus who are minorities in neighbouring countries like Pakistan or Bangladesh are targeted our nation rightly expresses outrage and the Union government intervenes. But when Muslims are targeted within our own country there is an unsettling silence a fear that prevents many from speaking up," she added. The PDP chief said as a politician from the only Muslim majority region that "chose to join the Indian Union largely due to the vision and secular character of your great-grandfather", she feels "extremely helpless" at times. "Placing great hope in your leadership I urge you to continue speaking up for a minority that is being steadily marginalised and pushed to the fringes of Indian society," she wrote in the letter. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
News18
4 days ago
- Politics
- News18
'Urdu Being Communalised, Judiciary Influenced By Politics': Mehbooba Mufti On CAT's Order
Last Updated: Mufti said that most revenue records and government paperwork in Jammu and Kashmir are still maintained in Urdu Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday criticised the judiciary, calling it 'deeply unfortunate" that it appears to be 'influenced by divisive politics" over the recent controversy surrounding the Urdu language requirement in Jammu and Kashmir recruitment rules. Her remarks came in response to the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) staying parts of the Jammu and Kashmir Revenue (Subordinate) Service Recruitment Rules, 2009, which made graduation with knowledge of Urdu a minimum qualification for the post of Naib Tehsildar. In a social media post on X, Mufti said that Urdu, a recognised official language in the Union Territory, was being 'unfairly communalised" and politically targeted. 'It is deeply unfortunate that our judiciary appears to be influenced by divisive politics. Urdu, a recognised official language for decades, is now being unfairly communalised," the former J&K CM wrote. It is deeply unfortunate that our judiciary appears to be influenced by divisive politics. Urdu, a recognised official language for decades, is now being unfairly revenue records and administrative work continue to be maintained in Urdu, and it is only logical… — Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) July 16, 2025 Mufti stressed that most revenue records and government paperwork in Jammu and Kashmir are still maintained in Urdu. 'It is only logical that applicants for the post of Naib Tehsildar possess basic proficiency in the language," she said. The former chief minister also stated that the Urdu requirement was rooted in administrative practicality, not in any attempt to divide people. 'This requirement is rooted purely in administrative efficiency not in any form of divisiveness," she added. The CAT's interim order followed weeks of protests, particularly in the Jammu region, where the BJP and other groups opposed the Urdu clause, calling it discriminatory. The Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB) responded by halting the application process for Naib Tehsildar posts. In a notice issued Tuesday, the JKSSB said: 'In view of the interim direction passed by the Central Administrative Tribunal… the process of inviting applications for the post of Naib Tehsildar (issued on June 9) is hereby deferred till further intimation/orders." The CAT bench, comprising Member (A) Ram Mohan Johri and Member (J) Rajinder Singh Dogra, heard the matter and issued a stay. The petitioners, represented by Senior Advocate Abhinav Sharma and Advocate Abhirash Sharma, argued that the Urdu language requirement was 'ultra vires the Constitution of India," claiming it violated principles of equality and non-discrimination. The tribunal has issued notices to the concerned authorities and asked them to respond within four weeks. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for 13 August. (With inputs from PTI) view comments First Published: July 16, 2025, 16:54 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Mehbooba: Urdu being unfairly communalised in J&K
After the Central Administrative Tribunal's order staying the requirement of basic Urdu knowledge for the naib tehsildar exam in Jammu and Kashmir, Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday alleged that Urdu was being unfairly communalised. After the Central Administrative Tribunal's order staying the requirement of basic Urdu knowledge for the naib tehsildar exam in Jammu and Kashmir, Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday alleged that Urdu was being unfairly communalised. (HT File) Mehbooba Mufti took to X to express her disagreement over the CAT order. 'It is deeply unfortunate that our judiciary appears to be influenced by divisive politics. Urdu, a recognised official language for decades, is now being unfairly communalised,' she said. In an interim measure, the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), Jammu, stayed Urdu language compulsion and ordered J&K Services Selection Board (JKSSB) to accept applications for the post of naib tehsildar from candidates who have graduation with knowledge of any of the five official languages enumerated in the Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Act, 2020, which includes Hindi, Kashmiri, English, Dogri and Urdu. Following the order, the J&KSSB on July 15 put the recruitment process on hold as it deferred the advertisement calling for applications for NT posts which was issued in June 2025. Mufti said that J&K's administrative work has been maintained in Urdu. 'Our revenue records and administrative work continue to be maintained in Urdu, and it is only logical that applicants for the post of Naib Tehsildar possess basic proficiency in the language. This requirement is rooted purely in administrative efficiency not in any form of divisiveness,' she said. The CAT's order has been celebrated by Bharatiya Janata Party after it launched a campaign to remove Urdu as a mandatory qualification for naib tehsildar posts in Jammu Kashmir. PDP leader and MLA Pulwama, Waheed Parra alleged that BJP's attempt to view Urdu through a 'communal lens marks a dangerous and disgraceful new low' in our political discourse in J&K. Peoples Conference president and MLA Handwara Sajad Lone also voiced deep concern over the exclusion of Urdu as a qualifying requirement for the post of Naib Tehsildar in Jammu and Kashmir, calling it part of a 'systematic marginalisation' of the Kashmiri-speaking majority and a dangerous step toward the 'linguicide' of Urdu.
