BJP using halal certification as diversionary tactic: Mehbooba Mufti

Srinagar, Nov 23 (PTI) PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Thursday accused the BJP of creating controversy over halal-certified products and said the saffron party has failed to fulfil any of the promises it had made to people for coming to power.

“These are diversionary tactics. They could not provide the two crore jobs or Rs 15 lakh to each citizen. The poor have been pushed further below the poverty line, they were promised a house but not given one.

'The BJP has not been able to fulfil any of its promises to the people. That is why now they are into halal and hijab issues,” Mufti told reporters at Larnoo in Kokernag area of Anantnag district.

The BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government on Saturday banned the production, storage, distribution and sale of food products with halal certification with immediate effect while exempting products manufactured for export.

On Thursday, Union minister Giriraj Singh asked Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to ban the sale of 'halal-certified' products, calling it a 'jihad' aimed at the 'Islamisation of businesses'.

Mufti, who was in the south Kashmir town for a party workers’ convention, while commenting on the loss of lives of security personnel in the Rajouri encounter, said it was 'sad and unfortunate'.

“The BJP is claiming that the situation in Jammu and Kashmir is normal. However, soldiers are getting martyred in encounters while the Kashmiri youth are being harassed in the name of (fighting) militancy. I don’t understand why our jawans are getting martyred if the situation has become normal?” she asked.

Four Indian Army personnel were martyred in an encounter with the terrorists in Rajouri district on Wednesday.

Two other personnel were injured during the encounter, which broke out between the terrorists and joint forces of the Indian Army and the Jammu and Kashmir Police in the Bajimaal area of Dharmsal following a cordon-and-search operation.

Mufti also distanced herself and the PDP from the remarks made by some party leaders in Rajouri against National Conference founder Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah.

“I regret that some bitter words have been spoken from both sides, but I want to say that we do not agree with the comments made on Sheikh Sahib yesterday at Rajouri. Sheikh Sahib is a respected and tall leader for us,” she said. PTI MIJ AS MIJ AS KVK KVK