Mehbooba hits back at PM's 'nuclear button' comment, says Pakistan has not kept theirs for Eid

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on Monday hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "nuclear button" comment saying if the PM thinks that India`s nuclear bombs are meant to be used on Diwali, then Pakistan has not kept their nuclear bombs to use them on Eid.

Mehbooba hits back at PM's 'nuclear button' comment, says Pakistan has not kept theirs for Eid File photo

SRINAGAR: Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on Monday hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "nuclear button" comment saying if the PM thinks that India`s nuclear bombs are meant to be used on Diwali, then Pakistan has not kept their nuclear bombs to use them on Eid.

"If India hasn`t kept nuclear bomb for Diwali, it`s obvious Pakistan`s not kept theirs for Eid either. Don`t know why Prime Minister Modi must stoop so low and reduce political discourse to this," Mufti tweeted on Monday.

When she was asked by media to clarify her remarks, Mufti reiterated her stand and said that both India and Pakistan are at even keel when it comes to nuclear arsenal. "What Pakistan (nuclear bombs) possesses would not be saved for Eid (if ours is saved for Diwali). We are evenly placed in this matter," she said.

On Sunday, Prime Minister Modi had said at a rally in Rajasthan's Barmer that terror attacks were common in the country because the previous governments were afraid of taking tough action against Pakistan. 

"The NDA government has instilled fear in the minds and hearts of terrorists. We hit terrorists getting right into their homes. Now India is no more afraid of Pakistan threats," the PM had said.

''India has stopped the policy of getting scared of Pakistan's threats. Every other day they used to say 'we have a nuclear button, we have a nuclear button'.....What do we have then? Have we kept it for Diwali?'' he added.

The prime minister also highlighted the tough decisions taken by his government to tackle terrorism, particularly the Balakot airstrikes following the Pulwama attack on February 14 that resulted in the martyrdom of at least 40 CRPF men. "We went into their (terrorists`) homes to attack them and they (Congress) are asking for proof. As we the hit terrorists, pains were felt in their hearts," the PM quipped.