PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti criticizes BJP over removal of Sheikh Abdullah's image from police medals

Other politicians of Jammu and Kashmir have also lashed out at the BJP-led central government on its decision to remove the image and name of Sheikh Abdullah from police medals and other institutions.

Pic Credit: File Photo

New Delhi: PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti recently opposed the BJP government's order to replace Sher-e-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah's embossment on one side of the police medal for Gallantry and Meritorious Service with 'The National Emblem of Government of India'.

The former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti said that it reflects the ''sick mindset' of BJP. She said that Sheikh Abdullah lives in the hearts of the people and erasing his pictures would not accomplish anything.

Other politicians of Jammu and Kashmir have also lashed out at the BJP-led central government on its decision to remove the image and name of Sheikh Abdullah, who was the first Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir from the police medal and other institutions. 

Speaking of the same, Mehbooba Mufti said, "He is a big stalwart and removing his picture wouldn’t matter much. It reflects a sick mindset. He has played a major role in shaping J&K. He merged J&K with India. Sheikh Abdullah took a bold decision to join hands with India and rejected Pakistan."

The National Conference Party Chief spokesman Imran Nabi Dar said, "Removing the name of the party's founding leader late Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah from government honours is a ploy of BJP and its allies and it has not made any difference to the party. It's their misconception that this would change anything or take Sheikh Abdullah away from the hearts and minds of Kashmiri people. The love that Kashmiri People have for Sheikh Abdullah is not going to change."

The BJP has welcomed the step and said that Kashmir has had many leaders apart from Sheikh Abdullah, so, every building in Jammu Kashmir cannot be called Sheikh Abdullah. 

BJP UT, Chief Spokesman Altaf Thakur said, "We can't have every building named after Sheikh Abdullah. We have leaders like Maqbool Sherwani too, we welcome these steps and buildings in Kashmir need to be named after those leaders who have laid their lives for the Country."

The government in January 2020 had removed the word ‘Sher-e-Kashmir’, a reference to National Conference founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, from the police medal for gallantry services.