Omar Abdullah Accuses Mehbooba of Justifying Force Against Kashmiris

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday criticised PDP president Mehbooba Mufti over her remarks at Jantar Mantar, saying she should have stayed home instead of appearing to justify the use of force against Kashmiris. He also demanded that the former chief minister apologise for her comments.

Speaking to reporters outside his private office, Abdullah said irresponsible statements by people who have held positions of power could discourage ordinary citizens from fighting for their rights.

Mehbooba had visited Jantar Mantar on July 23 to support a protest led by the Cockroach Janta Party over alleged examination irregularities. While opposing police action against student protesters in Delhi, she reportedly defended the past use of pellet guns in Kashmir, arguing that the circumstances were different as security forces were fighting militancy.

Her remarks triggered criticism from rival political parties, including Abdullah's National Conference (NC). The PDP, however, accused the NC of using artificial intelligence to distort Mehbooba's statement.

Abdullah questioned how the use of force and mass detentions could be justified in the name of countering militancy. He said Mehbooba should have raised concerns about such measures while in Delhi, where national media attention was focused on her.

The chief minister also opposed mass detentions following the killing of a policeman in Anantnag, warning that excessive arrests, house demolitions and oppression could alienate people and undermine efforts to combat militancy. He said public support was essential to achieving lasting peace in Jammu and Kashmir.

Abdullah further criticised Mehbooba for allegedly taking different positions in Delhi and Kashmir and said she should acknowledge and apologise for her remarks rather than dismiss them as AI-generated.

On the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Abdullah credited protesting students, saying they had remained firm in pursuing their cause and deserved recognition for the outcome.