Srinagar: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti, issued a sharp response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent remarks accusing political dynasties of “ruining” the region. Addressing a gathering at Nawakadal in Srinagar on Thursday, Mufti defended the contributions of the Abdullah and Mufti families in shaping the region’s political landscape. 

Responding to Modi’s claim that the Abdullahs, Muftis, and Gandhis have “destroyed Jammu and Kashmir,” Mufti stated that had Sheikh Abdullah not aligned with India in 1948, the region could have either joined Pakistan or remained an independent state. 

“If the Abdullah family had followed Pakistan’s agenda, Kashmir would have been part of Pakistan today,” Mufti said, stressing that India owes a debt of gratitude to the late Sheikh Abdullah for his decision to accede to India despite the Muslim-majority population. 

She further highlighted the Abdullah and Mufti families’ efforts in promoting peace in the conflict-torn region. “When terrorism was at its peak, Omar Abdullah carried India’s message to the world. The Mufti family initiated talks with Hurriyat to keep the youth away from violence,” she added. 

Mufti accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of deflecting from real issues in the ongoing assembly polls, claiming the party had no substantive agenda and was only targeting political families for electoral gain. 

The heated exchange began after Prime Minister Modi, while campaigning for BJP candidates in Kashmir, criticized the three political families, accusing them of fostering a climate of fear and uncertainty in Jammu and Kashmir.