Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], August 1 : Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti said that there were two Generation Zs in India - those with inherited opportunities and others in Kashmir with "inherited curfews and trauma".
Responding to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's video on X, where he is talking about "forgiving" the students who used profanity against him during the Jantar Mantar protest, Mufti argued that Kashmiri youth don't need sympathy or charity, but equal opportunity.
https://x.com/MehboobaMufti/status/2083463203867042264
"Hon'ble PM @narendramodi, there are two Gen Zs in India. One inherited opportunity; the other, in Kashmir, inherited curfews, crackdowns, internet shutdowns, lost classrooms, unemployment and trauma. Kashmiri youth seek neither sympathy nor charity, only dignity, equal opportunity, political space and the freedom to dream without fear. If compassion is to define India's future, let it begin with Kashmir", she said.
Her remarks come after PM Modi said he works for the bright future of youth, and urged them to move forward after learning from mistakes.
"Today I just feel like talking to you. The country and the world have witnessed what happened at Jantar Mantar. Some mischievous children used very crude and abusive language, words that do not befit any civilised society. I was personally abused, and even my late mother was subjected to abuse. It was a truly ugly spectacle," he said.
"However, I want to talk about the fact that mistakes happen in childhood, and childhood also offers the opportunity to correct those mistakes; that is simply the nature of being young. Therefore, I can fully understand the outrage within society. It comes as a cultural shock to see our daughters using such language. Yet, now is the time to embrace these children and show them the right path. They have lost their way, and it is our duty to guide them," he added.
PM Modi said punishing the youth, dragging them through court proceedings, and harassing them in society- none of this will change the situation.
"I want to forgive them. Society, too, should accept this. I hold only one sentiment in my heart. Sometimes, our tongue gets caught between our teeth and bleeds, yet we do not break our teeth; after all, both the teeth and the tongue belong to us. These children are ours, too. It is our duty to show them the right path," he said.
The Prime Minister said that guiding those who have gone astray is difficult, "but it is a task we must undertake".