J&K Deputy CM Choudhary Blasts Mehbooba Mufti for Loss of Statehood, Slams Her Pellet Gun Comments

New Delhi: In a blistering attack on former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary held her responsible for the loss of statehood and special status, accusing her of being the root cause of J&K’s political crisis.

“Mehbooba Mufti can say anything, but the fact remains that Jammu and Kashmir lost its statehood and special status because of her decisions,” Choudhary said.

Dismissing Mufti’s criticism of the government, he said, “We don’t need lessons from her. We are answerable to the people who voted for us, not to her,”.

Hitting out at Mufti’s past handling of security situations, Choudhary recalled her infamous response to civilian injuries caused by pellet guns.

“She is the same Mehbooba Mufti who, when questioned about children being blinded by pellet guns, callously asked whether they had gone to buy milk and toffees from security camps,” he said, referring to her widely condemned remark during her tenure.

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A day earlier, Mufti had attacked the administration over its failure to address “disempowerment and alienation” in J&K.

“The speech was no different from his previous addresses on Independence Day or other ceremonial occasions,” the PDP chief said at a press conference in Srinagar.

She pointed out that Union Home Minister Amit Shah had promised the restoration of statehood in Parliament but had remained silent on Article 370.

“The issue is not just about statehood; it is about restoring dignity and the special status that was unilaterally taken away in August 2019,” she asserted.

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Mufti launched a scathing attack on the National Conference (NC), accusing Omar Abdullah’s party of legitimizing BJP’s policies in J&K instead of opposing them.

“Rather than challenging the BJP’s decisions, NC leaders appear to be racing to validate the drastic changes imposed over the past few years,” she said.

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Questioning Abdullah’s leadership, she asked, “Omar Abdullah says he cannot bring back Article 370 from the BJP. But if the BJP could campaign for its abrogation for 70 years, why can’t you at least speak out against this unconstitutional move? Why this silence?”

Mufti accused the NC-led government of failing to take a stand on critical issues such as job insecurity, land rights, and resource exploitation.

“People did not expect miracles within four months, but they did hope for a government that would fight for them. Instead, this government has failed to even highlight these urgent issues,” she said.

Highlighting growing concerns over mineral extraction and land ownership disputes, she emphasized, “We have introduced several bills to address these pressing concerns. We expect all political parties to unite in protecting the interests of J&K’s people,”.