Mehbooba says 'bigots' have converted Holi celebrations into source of fear for minorities
Srinagar (PTI): People's Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti Friday said some "bigots" have converted Holi celebrations into a "source of fear" for minorities with the "approval of those in power".
This comes a day after she said pitting Hindus and Muslims against each other will have "dangerous consequences" for the country.
The PDP president was reacting to controversies linked to Holi celebrations and 'Jumma namaaz' of Ramzan coinciding on Friday.
In a post on X on Friday, Mehbooba said, "Holi for me has always symbolised India's Ganga-Jamuna Tehzeeb. I fondly remember eagerly awaiting the festival & celebrating it with my Hindu friends with immense joy & enthusiasm.
"However some bigots have now converted this celebration into a source of fear for minorities with the approval of those in power. It's time to wake up India. Wishing everyone a Happy Holi!" Mufti said on X.
On Thursday, the PDP president alleged the atmosphere in the country was being vitiated and Hindus were being pitted against Muslims.
This year, Holi and the second Friday of the Islamic holy month of Ramzan are coinciding. Several cities have tightened security measures to prevent any untoward incident.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
