April 20, 2026 10:41 am (IST)
Follow us:
Mufti stands by his remark, daughter Mehbooba defends
New Delhi, Mar 2(IBNS) Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on Monday said he stands by his statement on violence-free polls in the state.
"I've said what I've said and I stand by that. The media is making a mountain out of a molehill,' he said reacting to the uproar on his remark.
After being sworn in as Jammu and Kashmir chief minister, Sayeed had said in his first press conference that there would not have been good participation in the polls in the state if Pakistan, Hurriyat and the militants tried to disrupt it."We must credit the Hurriyat, Pakistan and militants for the conduct of the assembly election in the state," he had said.
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president and Sayeed's daughter, Mehbooba Mufti on Monday defended her father's remark : ""We need to build stakes for Pakistan and Hurriyat in our peace process. If separatists and militants are stepping back from violence we should encourage them," she told NDTV.
The PDP and the BJP made a post poll alliance following two months of negotiation to overcome their differences and form government in Jammu and Kashmir recently .
Mufti's controversial comment caught the BJP unaware prompting it to dissociate itself from what he said. "Our government and the BJP fully dissociate with the statement. The credit for conducive environment for polls in Jammu and Kashmir goes to the Election Commission, our armed forces and the people...I make this statement after discussing it with Prime Minister Narendra Modi," Home Minister Rajnath Singh told the Lok Sabha in the face of opposition demand for an explanation from the government.
Support Our Journalism
We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism
IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.
Support objective journalism for a small contribution.
Latest Headlines
Who is Dinesh Trivedi? Ex-Railway Minister likely to be India’s next Bangladesh envoy
Mon, Apr 20 2026
Security alert at Srinagar Airport: Two US nationals detained after satellite phone found in luggage
Sun, Apr 19 2026
Modi’s Women’s Bill: Slow burner or strategic blunder?
Sun, Apr 19 2026
PM Modi apologises for women’s bill failure, accuses opposition of ‘foeticide’ of rights
Sat, Apr 18 2026
New Delhi summons Iranian envoy after firing on 2 Indian vessels in Strait of Hormuz
Sat, Apr 18 2026