BeyondHeadlines News Desk
New Delhi: Jammu and Kashmir People’s Democratic Party (PDP) President Mehbooba Mufti today rejected the claim that she had praised or supported Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi at a recent National Integration Council meeting.
Speaking at Modi’s fast, Sushma had said yesterday that it was great that even rivals like Mehbooba Mufti had praised the Gujarat chief minister at a recent meeting of National Integration Council in New Delhi.
“If Advani praises him (Modi) it is out of love, if I praise him it is out of duty. But when rivals like Mehbooba Mufti praise him, it is great,” Swaraj had commented.
The leader of opposition had further claimed that a friend of Mufti had sought a favour from the Gujarat chief minister, which was granted immediately.
The BJP leader said : “A Muslim friend of hers wanted to invest in Gujarat and was astonished to be quickly granted an appointment, and that when he did meet Modi, had a decision in half an hour.”
Mufti today said that she never praised Modi as claimed by the BJP leader. She described Sushma’s claim as baseless and untrue. “I have never praised Modi nor I recommended any businessman to him for favour. It is all rubbish,” she said.
Mufti’s alleged praise for the Gujarat chief minister has sparked off a political row in Kashmir with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah slamming her for her comments. Even though Mufti said that she never praised Modi as claimed by BJP leader Sushma Swaraj, Omar Abdullah criticised her for making a u-turn on the issue.
While criticising Mufti, Abdullah said, “It’s surprising that she denied praising Modi when she knows very well that others heard her.”
Omar said that she should just admit what she said. “It would be much more graceful to accept her praise of Modi rather than calling Sushma Swaraj a liar,” he said on Twitter.
Taking on Omar for his comments, she said, “I did not praise Modi. It’s been taken out of context. For us, Modi remains the same. Omar pounces on issues, why did he not pounce then, we were in the same meeting.”
