SRINAGAR: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti has come under sharp criticism from political rivals after her remarks at a protest in New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar were interpreted as justifying the use of force, including pellet guns, during protests in Kashmir.
The controversy erupted after Mehbooba, who was participating in a protest in support of student demonstrators, drew a distinction between police action in Delhi and security operations in Kashmir. She said Kashmir had witnessed militancy and that the use of force there “made some sense”, while questioning the police response against unarmed students in the national capital.
Her remarks triggered strong reactions across the political spectrum, with opponents accusing her of retrospectively defending the use of pellet guns during the 2016 unrest.
The National Conference (NC) led the criticism. In a post on X, the party said Mehbooba’s comments suggested that the use of force against Kashmiris protesting for their rights was justified. NC spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar accused the former chief minister of portraying Kashmiri protesters, including children, as militants.
NC leader and Zadibal MLA Tanvir Sadiq also criticised the remarks, asking whether people protesting over issues such as reservations, civic amenities or other democratic demands should now be viewed as militants. He said the people of Jammu and Kashmir deserved an apology from the former chief minister.
Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari said he was “neither shocked nor surprised” by Mehbooba’s remarks, alleging that they reflected the approach adopted by her government during the 2016 uprising.
Recalling her controversial “milk and toffee” remark made during that period, Bukhari said Kashmiris had not forgotten the extensive use of pellet guns under the PDP-BJP coalition government, which left hundreds blinded or permanently injured. He accused Mehbooba of attempting to rewrite history and alleged that her latest comments exposed the “ruthless violence” witnessed during her tenure.
The remarks have also revived memories of the 2016 unrest that followed the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani. During the months-long protests, security forces extensively used pellet shotguns to disperse crowds. Thousands were injured, while hundreds suffered serious eye injuries, many resulting in permanent loss of vision. The use of pellet guns remains one of the most contentious aspects of that period.
The BJP also joined the criticism, with its Pampore unit questioning whether Mehbooba’s remarks implied that all Kashmiris were militants.
As the criticism mounted, the PDP did not issue an official statement. However, party leaders maintained that Mehbooba’s remarks had been taken out of context and misrepresented by political opponents.
They said her comments were intended to highlight what they described as the Centre’s differing approach to protests in Kashmir and elsewhere in the country, arguing that dissent in the Valley is often viewed through a security lens.
PDP MLA Waheed Ur Rehman Para echoed that position, referring to the ongoing security crackdown following the recent killing of a policeman. He said that while authorities had shown restraint towards student protesters elsewhere, thousands of Kashmiri youth had reportedly been detained for questioning after the latest militant attack. Para questioned why reconciliation was promoted in one situation but not the other, warning that such differing approaches would deepen alienation among the youth.
The controversy has once again brought Mehbooba Mufti’s handling of the 2016 unrest into focus, with political parties reviving criticism of her government’s response to civilian protests, while the PDP maintains that her remarks have been selectively interpreted for political purposes.
