Srinagar, May 1: Jammu and Kashmir Education Minister Sakina Itoo on Friday accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of showering “10 to 13 lakh pellets” on civilians during its tenure in just 36-day, leaving over 600 youth blinded and many others maimed.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a party function here, minister Itoo as per Kashmir Convener alleged that the PDP regime had committed large-scale atrocities, including the use of pellet guns and the imposition of the Public Safety Act (PSA).
“In just 36 days, about 10 to 13 lakh pellets were showered on them. How people have been blinded, how they have committed atrocities. 525 people have been given PSA,” Itoo said.
“Similarly, more than 626 young people have been shot, have been blinded. Someone’s leg has broken. They want to hide all these mistakes,” she added.
The minister also blamed the PDP for the loss of statehood and the abolition of land rights in Jammu and Kashmir.
“Today, we don’t have a state. It’s all thanks to them. Today, we are working in Uttar Pradesh. Today, we don’t have power. The right to land that was given to you by Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah Sahib — today, he got that right abolished,” she said.
She further alleged that the merit of local youth had been destroyed, with applicants from Delhi and Rajasthan now competing for jobs in J&K.
“They want to hide these mistakes and bring such things that have no reality. They have become used to lying. Since they have formed this Jamaat, they know nothing but lies,” minister Itoo said.
The minister also dismissed any move to remove Urdu, asserting it was integral to the region’s identity.
“No one can remove the Urdu language. The Urdu language is our life. Like the Kashmiri language, the Dogri language, the Pahadi language. All these languages are our soul. This question cannot arise,” she said.
Accusing the PDP of supporting the BJP in the recent Rajya Sabha elections, Itoo said, “They want to hide these things.”
Speaking on education, she said both private and government institutions were contributing to provide facilities to children in Jammu and Kashmir.
“Our effort is that we provide all the ways so that they can move forward,” she added.
The remarks came after people’s Democratic Party leader (PDP) Iltija Mufti earlier this week alleged that the Omar Abdullah-led administration is attempting to dilute the role of Urdu in official functioning, triggering a fresh political controversy in Jammu and Kashmir.
Mufti claimed that recent administrative steps—particularly within the Revenue Department—indicate a gradual shift away from Urdu, which has historically been central to land and revenue records in the region.
“Urdu is not just a language here; it is a reflection of our history and identity. Targeting it amounts to targeting the very cultural fabric of Jammu and Kashmir,” she said.
Iltija questioned the move to digitise revenue records in English, arguing that generations of documentation have been preserved in Urdu, making such a transition both impractical and exclusionary. She also raised concerns over reported changes in recruitment norms, stating that easing Urdu requirements could affect employment prospects for local youth.
“This is not about politics. It is about safeguarding a language that has connected communities across regions and generations,” she added.
However, the government has rejected the allegations.
On Wednesday, National Conference chief spokesperson and Legislator from Zadibal Tanvir Sadiq also dismissing as a “diversion” the opposition party’s campaign over the Urdu language.
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