Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday drew comparisons between the "judiciaries of India and Pakistan" saying six people accused in a lynching case were sentenced to death, while people accused of the same crime in India are “garlanded, not punished”.
“A man was lynched in Pakistan, they sentenced 6 people to death by hanging and 12 others to life imprisonment. Several Akhlaqs have been lynched here (India) after 2015. They are garlanded, not punished. That's the difference between their judiciary and this judiciary," news agency ANI quoted Mufti as saying.
The PDP president was referring to the recent incident in Pakistan where an anti-terrorism court in Pakistan sentenced six people to death and nine others to life imprisonment for their involvement in the lynching of a Sri Lankan national over alleged blasphemy.
“Forget about being punished, the accused are garlanded. That is the difference between this judiciary and that judiciary,” she said.
Interacting with the media, the former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir said the BJP has nothing to give to the people of the country except stoking communal sentiments.
When asked about Kashmiri separatist leader JKLF chief Yasin Malik - who later has been awarded life imprisonment in a terror funding case by a special NIA court in Delhi later in the day - the former chief minister said Jammu and Kashmir is a “political issue” and such incidents in the past have been unable to resolve the problem.
{{/usCountry}}When asked about Kashmiri separatist leader JKLF chief Yasin Malik - who later has been awarded life imprisonment in a terror funding case by a special NIA court in Delhi later in the day - the former chief minister said Jammu and Kashmir is a “political issue” and such incidents in the past have been unable to resolve the problem.
{{/usCountry}}“People (from Kashmir) have been hanged before as well but it has not resolved the issue. It has only become more complex. I think the consequences and results of adopting a muscular policy will not be good. It will be contrary to expectations,” she added.
Mufti further slammed the BJP- led central government on issues such as inflation, and unemployment and said the saffron party has nothing to give to the people of the country except stoking ‘communal sentiments’.
“They don’t have jobs for the youth, the price rise is uncontrollable and people are finding it difficult to get two square meals. They had said they will put ₹15 lakh in people’s accounts. Instead, they snatched food grain from the farmers at a cheap rate and distributed five kg free to each family. That’s how this country is being run," she said.
“In such a situation, targeting Muslims and their places of worship and raising Hindu-Muslim issues is all they have. However, I want to tell them if you have any prescription like Hitler, let it be known for all, what do you want to do with Muslims?” she asked.
(With inputs from agencies)