J&K: Only genuine accountability will restore ‘trust between civilians and army’, says Mehbooba

Srinagar, Jun 28 (PTI) Only genuine accountability will restore “trust between civilians and the armed forces” in Kashmir, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti said here on Wednesday.

Her remarks came in response to the reports of the Army launching an investigation into the allegations of troops compelling worshippers in a mosque at Zadoora in Pulwama to chant “Jai Shree Ram”.

“Thankful to @ChinarcorpsIA for taking swift action in the Zadoora incident. Only genuine accountability will restore trust between civilians & armed forces. Kashmir is the only state where a pilgrimage like Amarnath Yatra coincides with Eid. This is the spirit of Kashmiriyat,” Mufti said on Twitter.

The Army has been maintaining silence on the allegations and the action taken.

When asked about whether there was any action taken by the Army, Srinagar-based defence PRO Col Emron Musavi said he had no information. “If I get something, I’ll share,” Col Musavi told PTI.

On June 24, Mufti, a former chief of J-K, alleged on the social media platform that the army in the south Kashmir district had stormed into a mosque and forced the worshippers to chant the Jai Shree Ram’.

“Shocked to hear about army troops from 50 RR storming into a mosque at Pulwama & forcing muslims inside to chant Jai Shree Ram’. Such a move when @AmitShah is here & that too ahead of yatra is simply an act of provocation. Request @RgGhai to immediately set up a probe,” the PDP president had said in a tweet.

Another former CM and National Conference vice president, Omar Abdullah, had also termed the reports of the use of force by the army as deeply disturbing and called for an investigation.

“Reports of security force personnel entering a mosque in Zadoora in Pulwama are deeply distressing. It’s bad enough they entered but then forcing people to chant slogans like “Jai Shree Ram” as reported by the locals there, is unacceptable. I hope @rajnathsingh ji will issue instructions for these reports to be investigated in a timely & transparent manner,” Abdullah had said in a tweet.