Jammu and Kashmir BJP president Ravinder Raina on Tuesday hit out at PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti over her objection to students reciting the hymn 'Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram' in schools in the union territory. The BJP leader accused Mufti of 'poisoning young minds' for 'vested political interests'. "Mehbooba should avoid playing such type of politics. She has lost her ground in Kashmir and people of the Valley rejected her. She is coming out with such a conspiracy (to regain her place)," he was quoted by news agency PTI.
"This country belongs to all of us... people of all faiths - Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, and others. Mehbooba should read more often Allama Iqbal's 'mazhab nahin sikhata aapas mein bair rakhna' (religion does not teach us to fight)."
"Mahatma Gandhi united the whole nation by this bhajan..."
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"School children also sing 'lab pe aati hai dua banke tamanna meri... (my heart's desire comes to my lips as a prayer) in morning assembly and there was no objection...," he declared.
The PDP chief on Monday reacted to a video showing children in Kulgam district singing the hymn - they seemed to be urged to do so by their teachers. The video first showed the board of the government high school in Kulgam and then around two dozen students in school uniform singing with folded hands in the presence of teachers.
"Jailing religious scholars, shutting down Jama Masjid and directing school kids here to sing Hindu hymns exposes the real Hindutva agenda of GoI in Kashmir. Refusing these rabid dictates invites PSA & UAPA. It is the cost that we are paying for this so-called 'Badalta J&K'."
{{/usCountry}}"Jailing religious scholars, shutting down Jama Masjid and directing school kids here to sing Hindu hymns exposes the real Hindutva agenda of GoI in Kashmir. Refusing these rabid dictates invites PSA & UAPA. It is the cost that we are paying for this so-called 'Badalta J&K'."
{{/usCountry}}Also read: Gyanvapi court order: Mehbooba Mufti says judiciary not adhering to its rulings
She also said the BJP is 'after our religion'.