Majority of Hindus are secular, Jammu glaring example of communal harmony: Mehbooba

Jammu, Dec 01: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti said on Sunday that the majority of Hindus in India are secular, citing Jammu as a prime example of communal harmony, where people of all religions live together peacefully.
Speaking to party workers here, the former chief minister said there is a need for a united stand against forces trying to divide society along religious lines.
“Leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru, Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, B.R. Ambedkar and others made this country a home for Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Christians,” Mehbooba said. “But today, people are being pitted against each other, and I fear we are being pushed towards a situation reminiscent of 1947.”
She criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, accusing it of failing to deliver on jobs, education, healthcare and infrastructure.
Mufti claimed the government was deflecting attention from these failures by targeting mosques under the pretext of searching for temples beneath them.
The PDP chief also referred to a petition claiming that the Ajmer Sharif Dargah was built over a Shiva temple. “People of different faiths, including Hindus and Sikhs, visit the 800-year-old shrine, which is a symbol of ‘Ganga-Jamuni’ culture,” she said. “Now, they want to excavate the shrine in search of a temple—how long will this continue?”
The former CM urged people to stand up against such divisive tactics. “If we start treating minorities here the way minorities are oppressed in Bangladesh, what’s the difference?” she asked. “Our country is known worldwide for its secular character, and we must protect that.”
Mehbooba reaffirmed her belief that the majority of Hindus in India are secular. She urged unity to counter the growing communal divide. “We must stand together, as there is no other way forward,” she said.
Mufti said Jammu’s example of religious coexistence carries a special responsibility. “Jammu’s people, even if they voted for one party (BJP) in the assembly elections, must now safeguard brotherhood and communal harmony,” she said.