Srinagar, Jan 11 : Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday strongly criticised National Security Advisor Ajit Doval for his recent remarks on avenging historical wrongs, terming them “merely a dog whistle” aimed at inciting communal sentiments.
In a post on X, Mehbooba said it was deeply unfortunate that a senior official entrusted with safeguarding the nation had chosen to align himself with what she described as a communal ideology of hate. She said the role of the NSA is to protect the country from internal and external threats, not to normalise violence or divisive narratives.
Her remarks came a day after Doval, speaking at the opening ceremony of the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue in Delhi, said India must strengthen itself not only at its borders but in all spheres, including economically, to avenge a painful history of attacks and subjugation.
Reacting to the statement, Mehbooba said that invoking revenge in the 21st century for centuries old events was irresponsible and dangerous. She alleged that such rhetoric serves as a signal to provoke vulnerable sections of society. “Calling for revenge over historical events is a dog whistle that incites poor and uneducated youth to target a minority community already facing pressure from all sides,” she said.
The former chief minister said that normalising such language at high levels of governance risks deepening social divisions and undermining the values of a plural and democratic society. [KNT]
