'No Difference Between India And Bangladesh': Mehbooba Mufti On Minority Rights; BJP Labels Remarks As Sedition

People's Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday (1 December) claimed that while our leaders made India a country for all religions, the current situation is moving towards similar to that of 1947.

She further alleged that while demands of jobs, good health and education facilities and infrastructure is not being fulfilled, the issue is being diverted by searching for temples beneath mosques.

The remarks come after the Sambhal violence which took over a court-ordered survey of Shahi Jama Masjid and a local court expressing readiness to hear plea of temple claim in Ajmer Dargah.

Mufti claimed that people were shot at in Sambhal and if someone dared to speak, they would be put in jail like what happened with Umar Khalid who is in jail for four years, an accused in the 2020 Delhi riots case.

She said that Ajmer Sharif is the 'biggest symbol of India's Ganga-Jamuna teheeb and brotherhood,' but despite this, they want to excavate it to find a temple beneath and questioned how long it will continue.

Drawing a comparison with Bangladesh, she said, "There atrocities are being committed on our Hindu brothers, as per news reports. If we commit atrocities against minorities here, what will be the difference."

Mufti said that India is considered secular in the world but now there is no difference between us and Bangladesh because Shivlings are being searched beneath mosques.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) called these remarks unfortunate and highlighted the human rights violations in Bangladesh. Ravinder Raina called this similar a sedition and claimed people of all religions are safe in India.