SRINAGAR: Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday criticised National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval over his recent remarks on avenging historical wrongs, describing them as a “dog whistle” that she said could inflame communal sentiments.
In a post on X, Mehbooba said it was unfortunate that a senior official responsible for national security had, in her view, aligned himself with a divisive ideology. She maintained that the NSA’s responsibility is to safeguard the country from internal and external threats, not to legitimise violence or promote polarising narratives.
It is deeply unfortunate that a high ranking officer like Mr Doval, whose duty is to guard the nation against internal and external nefarious designs, has chosen to join a communal ideology of hate and normalise violence against Muslims. Calling for REVENGE in the 21st century… https://t.co/cKRvuXdavu
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) January 11, 2026
Her comments followed Doval’s address at the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue in Delhi on Saturday, where he said India needed to strengthen itself across all sectors, including economically, to respond to a painful history of attacks and subjugation.
Responding to the remarks, Mehbooba said invoking revenge in the present era for events that occurred centuries ago was irresponsible and potentially dangerous. She alleged that such statements act as coded signals that could provoke vulnerable sections of society, particularly youth.
The PDP president warned that the use of such language at senior levels of governance could deepen social divides and weaken the foundations of India’s pluralistic and democratic ethos.
