BJP Labels PDP ‘Pro Terrorist Development Party’ After Mufti Links Red Fort Blast To Kashmir

A fresh political storm erupted on Monday after PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti connected the recent car blast near Delhi’s Red Fort to unrest in Kashmir, drawing strong criticism from the BJP. Her comments, made shortly after the November 10 explosion, reignited debates over national security, political polarisation, and the narrative surrounding terrorism.

BJP Accuses Mufti of “Defending Extremists”

The BJP quickly condemned Mufti’s remarks, accusing her of attempting to justify the perpetrators of the attack. Party spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari stated on X that she was defending extremists and questioned why the Indian Opposition, led by Congress, failed to take a firm stand.

Bhandari went further, labelling the PDP as the “Pro Terrorist Development Party (PTDP).”

Mufti Questions Government’s Security Claims

Mufti, meanwhile, criticised the Centre, arguing that the Delhi blast highlighted the shortcomings of its Kashmir policy. “You told the world that everything is alright in Kashmir, but the troubles of Kashmir echoed right in front of the Red Fort,” she said, referring to the NIA’s findings that a vehicle-borne IED, detonated by a Kashmir-based suicide bomber, caused the blast.

“If a well-educated youth, a doctor, kills himself and others by strapping RDX to his body, it means there is no safety in the nation,” she remarked, questioning whether the government truly understood the situation. Mufti added that policies fostering alienation had worsened the Valley’s challenges rather than resolving root causes.

She further warned against polarising politics, stating, “You may get votes by doing Hindu-Muslim politics, but in which direction is the nation heading?” She criticised actions such as arrests, detentions of journalists, and the use of the PSA, arguing that these measures had created an atmosphere of fear and intimidation.

Linking the Blast to Broader Issues

Mufti drew a direct line from the unrest in Kashmir to the blast in Delhi. “Now the trouble of Kashmir spoke in front of the Red Fort in Delhi. You had promised to make Jammu and Kashmir safe, but because of your actions, even Delhi has become unsafe,” she said. She ended her remarks with a warning against escalating divisions for political gain: “Do they think that creating a Hindu-Muslim divide, more blasts, and more bloodshed will fetch them more votes? The country is bigger than power.”

She also addressed disaffected youth, urging them to reconsider violence: “I want to tell the youth that what they are doing is wrong, wrong for themselves, their families, for Jammu and Kashmir, and for the entire country.”

NIA Arrests Key Suspect Linked to Red Fort Blast

The Red Fort car explosion, carried out by suicide bomber Umar Nabi, killed 13 people and injured many others. In a significant development, the NIA on Sunday arrested Amir Rashid Ali, a Kashmir resident allegedly involved in the conspiracy. The vehicle used in the attack was reportedly registered in Ali’s name, and he was taken into custody in Delhi as investigations continue.