New Delhi: In a veiled dig at BJP, former J&K chief minister and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti said "there are hundreds of Jinnah's today" who were dividing Indians, PTI reported.
Addressing a public rally in Jammu, Mehbooba Mufti said, "We blame Muhammad Ali Jinnah who fought the freedom struggle along with JL Nehru, Gandhi ji, Sardar Patel, Sir Sayyid Ahmad Khan and Ambedkar ji to make India independent. But we have one complaint that he divided our country and we avoid taking his name today."
"They say he divided India and separated Hindus-Muslims. But you will find hundreds of Jinnah who not only divide the land but also the people. They're people who made no contribution towards freedom. They were licking boots of the British and today they teach us patriotism," the former J&K CM said.
Taking a jibe at the BJP, Mufti said "they claim to be nationalists and dub their opponents as traitors and anti-nationals".
"None of them went to jail during the freedom struggle. They were not even hoisting the national flag on their headquarters until a few years ago," PTI quoted Mufti as saying.
"This is a place of 'Ganga Jamuni Tehzeeb' (Ganges Yamuna culture) and the politics of Godse (the assassin of Mahatma Gadhi) will not work," Mufti further said.
Mufti Equates Gen Zia-ul-Haq's Rule In Pakistan To 'Today's India'
Accusing the BJP of poisoning people's minds, Mehbooba Mufti equated the saffron party's rule with that of former Pakistani military dictator General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq.
"A General came to our neighbouring nation and said that he will bring real Islam there. He stoked hatred there while teaching religion. Children were given guns instead of books and today explosions occur in Pakistan," ANI quoted Mufti as saying.
"What is happening in our country is for everyone to see. Our democracy and Constitution are being destroyed. What is the difference between general Zia-ul-Haq's rule and today's India. They are poisoning our country like the Pakistani ruler did there," she further said.
She further claimed that Jammu and Kashmir had been turned into a "testing laboratory".
Mehbooba asked the people of Jammu and Kashmir to come together and fight for the restoration of their "lost honour," stating that the repeal of Article 370 was illegal since only a Constituent Assembly had the ability to do so.
My Father Wanted To Continue Vajpayee's Political Process: Mufti
Mehbooba also defended her party's 2014 alliance with the BJP, claiming that her father, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, wanted to continue Vajpayee's political process, which "paved the way for a ceasefire on the borders, the opening of cross-border roads, reduced militancy, and brought India and Pakistan closer together".