Srinagar | News Desk
Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday strongly condemned the vandalism of the shrine of renowned Sufi poet Baba Bulleh Shah in Uttarakhand, alleging hypocrisy and selective silence on the part of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
In a post on social media, Mufti accused BJP leaders of projecting an image of cultural and religious outreach abroad while remaining silent or complicit when symbols of spiritual harmony are attacked within the country. She said such actions expose a contradiction between the party’s international messaging and its domestic conduct.
“BJP leaders pose in mosques abroad and roll out red carpets for Middle Eastern sheikhs. But back home they watch with glee the shrine of Sufi poet Baba Bulleh Shah being vandalised,” Mufti said, asserting that these incidents reflect a deliberate political approach rather than isolated acts of vandalism.
The PDP chief alleged that attacks on Sufi shrines and symbols of coexistence are part of a broader pattern aimed at undermining India’s pluralistic traditions. She claimed that such acts are being used to divert public attention from pressing socio-economic challenges, including rising poverty, widespread unemployment, and uncertainty faced by the younger generation.
Mufti said addressing economic distress and lack of opportunities requires political will, whereas targeting symbols of harmony is an easier route to polarisation. She warned that repeated attacks on pluralistic traditions could deepen societal divisions and erode the country’s long-standing ethos of tolerance and coexistence.
The shrine of Baba Bulleh Shah, a revered Sufi poet celebrated for his message of love, humanism, and spiritual unity, was recently vandalised in Uttarakhand, triggering criticism from various quarters. The incident has sparked renewed debate over the protection of cultural and spiritual heritage sites across the country.
Mufti reiterated the need to safeguard symbols of communal harmony and called for accountability, stating that attacks on shared cultural heritage threaten the social fabric of the nation.
