Mehbooba snubs critics after performing ritual inside Shiv temple in JK's Poonch

JAMMU: PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Thursday defended her recent visit to a Shiv temple in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch and performing a ritual there, saying "we live in a country that is home to the Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb" and there is no need to discuss the matter further."

A video of the former chief minister offering water to Shivling inside Navgraha temple, Mandi-Ajote in Poonch on Tuesday has gone viral, drawing criticism from some quarters.

"We are living in a secular country that is home to Ganga-Jamuni Tehzeeb. The temple was built by Yashpal Sharma (former PDP leader who died last year) and his sons want me to visit the place. I went inside and someone gave me a small vessel filled with water with a lot of belief and love. I do not want to break his heart by refusing to pour water (on the Shivling). He asked for it and I did it (out of respect for him)," Mehbooba Mufti told reporters here.

Asked about some Islamic scholars from Deoband in Uttar Pradesh disliking it, she said she did not want to go into it and whether it is allowed or not in her religion.

"In our country, Hindus and Muslims live together and there are more Hindus offering 'Chadar' at Muslim shrines than Muslims themselves. This issue is related to myself and there is no need for further discussion over it," she said.