Iltija Mufti, a leader of the Peoples Democratic Party and daughter of former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, stirred controversy with a social media post labeling Hindutva as a “disease.”
She expressed her outrage following a viral video that showed three young Muslim boys being beaten with sandals for refusing to chant “Jai Shri Ram” in Madhya Pradesh.
Mufti stated, “Ram, the deity, must hang his head in shame,” asserting that Hindutva has harmed millions of Indians and tarnished the name of God.
In response, BJP leader Ravinder Raina articulated that differing political opinions are acceptable, but disrespecting someone’s religious sentiments is not.
Senior BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi described Hindutva as a fundamental part of India’s culture, emphasizing that it seeks to unite various sections of society.
He suggested that those unfamiliar with India’s cultural roots might need to learn about “Sanatana culture” again, claiming that some people have a misplaced fear of Hindutva. Additionally, a Kashmiri Pandit organization named ‘Youth 4 Panun Kashmir’ filed a police complaint against Iltija Mufti for her remarks, alleging they were derogatory and inflammatory.
Mufti defended her comments, restating that “Hindutva is a disease, and we need a cure for it,” and distinguished between Hinduism and Hindutva as two separate concepts.
The video that triggered the uproar led to protests in Madhya Pradesh’s Ratlam district, where the Muslim community demanded action against those involved.
On social media platform X, Iltija Mufti addressed the backlash, noting that while her tweet incited outrage, it was important to recognize the context of violence associated with both Islam and Hindutva, which can lead to the persecution of minorities.
Iltija Mufti gained attention in 2019 when she managed her mother’s social media presence after her mother was imprisoned following the revocation of Article 370.
This year, she ran for a seat in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly but lost to National Conference candidate Bashir Ahmad Shah Veeri.
