Disheartening to see country’s largest minority facing unprecedented threats: Mehbooba

Srinagar:On Constitution Day, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti expressed deep concern over what she described as “unprecedented threats” faced by the country’s largest minority. Referring to recent violence in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, where four people lost their lives during protests against a court-ordered survey of a Mughal-era mosque, Mufti highlighted the growing challenges to minority communities in India.

While the nation marked the 75th anniversary of the adoption of the Indian Constitution, Mufti stated that it was “disheartening” to witness such events, as they go against the Constitution’s guarantee of equal rights, dignity, and protection for all citizens, regardless of their background. She emphasized that the dignity, lives, livelihoods, and places of worship of the minority community were under attack, which contradicts the very essence of the Constitution.

Mufti also pointed out that the violence in Sambhal served as a painful reminder of the ongoing issues faced by minorities in the country. She criticized the continuing trend of searching for temples beneath mosques, despite a clear ruling by the Supreme Court to maintain the status quo of religious places as they existed in 1947.

The PDP leader further expressed concern about the “erosion of constitutional values and the rule of law” in India, calling it a matter of national significance. She urged that the nation must remain vigilant in defending the principles enshrined in the Constitution to ensure that it remains a beacon of justice and equality for all.