Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], October 12 (ANI): People's Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday criticised the BJP government, accusing it of targeting Muslims in India while building relations with the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Mufti alleged that the BJP is targeting Muslims in India under the guise of 'Love Jihad,' 'Land Jihad,' 'Vote Jihad,' and 'Cow Jihad,' promoting divisive slogans that defame them.

She highlighted the contradiction in India's relations with the Taliban, stating that while the country is assisting in rebuilding Afghanistan, including educational scholarships, Indian Muslims are being deprived of basic rights and opportunities.

'Under the names of 'Love Jihad', 'Land Jihad', 'Vote Jihad', and 'Cow Jihad', the BJP is targeting its own Muslim population and promoting slogans that defame them. Meanwhile, India--which is the mother of democracy--is embracing the Taliban, the father of jihad, under the BJP,' Mehbooba Mufti wrote on 'X'.

Mufti criticised the government's decision to withdraw scholarships for Muslim students while providing opportunities for Afghan students, calling it a double standard.

'It has decided to provide all kinds of assistance to rebuild Afghanistan, including educational scholarships for Afghan students. While maintaining good relations with Afghanistan may be strategically important, it creates a clear contradiction: India's own Muslim population, who have contributed to the country's identity and progress, are being deprived of basic rights and opportunities. Withdrawing scholarships for Muslim students highlights this internal double standard,' added Mufti.

The PDP chief also took a dig at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath after Afghanistan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi on Saturday visited Darul Uloom Deoband in UP's Saharanpur.

'Building international relations is necessary, but the foundation of a stable and harmonious nation should be based on trust, respect, and equality within its own country, especially with its Muslim population. I hope Bulldozer Baba is listening!' she added.

The Taliban's connection to Deobandi Islam is rooted in the movement's ideology and history. Founded in 1866 in Deoband, Uttar Pradesh, India, the Deobandi movement is a Sunni Islamic revivalist effort that emphasises a return to core Islamic principles and rejects Western influences. It focuses on Islamic studies, jurisprudence, and spiritual purification.

The Taliban emerged in the 1990s, heavily influenced by Deobandi thought, particularly through Pakistani madrasas like Darul Uloom Haqqania, which is affiliated with Deoband. Many Taliban leaders, including Mullah Omar, studied in these institutions.

Both Deobandis and Taliban believe in implementing Islamic law in its entirety. They oppose Western cultural and intellectual influences, seeing them as a threat to Islamic values. Deobandi institutions emphasise traditional Islamic learning, which has shaped the Taliban's worldview.

The Taliban's visit to Darul Uloom Deoband in India signifies a strategic move to assert their ideological authenticity and independence from Pakistan's Deobandi networks.

Muttaqui is on a week-long visit to India, beginning from October 9 till October 16. This is the first high-level delegation from Kabul to India since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August 2021. (ANI)