Mehbooba Mufti Slams CM for ‘Red Carpet’ Welcome to Rijiju, Calls it a Message of Marginalisation
Srinagar, Apr 9, KNT: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday accused the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister of endorsing a “divisive agenda” by warmly welcoming Union Minister Kiran Rijiju to the region, just days after the controversial Waqf Amendment Bill was passed in Parliament.
Taking to social media platform X, Mehbooba launched a fierce attack, alleging that the CM’s conduct not only reflected political insensitivity but also sent out a chilling message to India’s Muslim population. “After bulldozing the Waqf Amendment Bill through Parliament, Minister Kiran Rijiju strategically chose to visit Kashmir. He was given a red carpet welcome by the Chief Minister of India’s only Muslim-majority state—a move designed and deliberate to signal to the 24 crore Muslims across India that their views hold little weight,” she wrote.
The Waqf Amendment Bill—seen by several political and religious groups in the Valley as an encroachment on community-managed religious properties—has already sparked heated debates and legislative chaos in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly over the past week.
Describing the CM’s gesture as “a celebration of marginalisation,” Mehbooba said the visuals of Rijiju’s visit, set against the backdrop of Asia’s largest tulip garden, were symbolic of growing disempowerment among Muslims. “The CM’s public show of support lent legitimacy to a deeply controversial move that has triggered unease among Muslims,” she added.
The former Chief Minister further said the CM’s actions had only worsened the sense of alienation and helplessness in the region. “His conduct has deepened the disconnect between the government and the people he claims to represent. Rather than standing with them, he chose optics and political convenience,” she said.
With the current Assembly session likely to conclude today, Mehbooba demanded that the ruling alliance bring an end to the “political theatre” and move a resolution rejecting the Waqf Amendment Bill. “It’s time for the government to show it values the voices of its people over party diktats,” she asserted.
