States » NorthPosted at: Sep 17 2026 6:02PM


Mehbooba slams BJP over IPS officer Bushra Bano transfer, says ‘even our vocabulary and votes are being policed’

Srinagar, Sept 17 (UNI) Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Thursday criticised the BJP over the transfer of West Bengal IPS officer Bushra Bano, alleging that the party was now “policing the vocabulary of Muslims.”
Mehbooba said the move, which came after the IPS officer used expressions including “Assalamu Alaikum”, “InshaAllah” and “JazakAllah” in a video, did not surprise the Muslim community anymore.
“Bushra Bano’s transfer after saying ‘Assalamu Alaikum’, ‘InshaAllah’ and ‘JazakAllah’... doesn’t shock us anymore,” Mehbooba said.
She also referred to remarks attributed to West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari regarding an election being a “test” of Muslim loyalty, describing it as a “veiled threat to the community as a whole.”
“What is rather amusing is that three simple words — peace be upon you, God willing, and God be praised — can apparently rattle a party so large and powerful,” Mehbooba said.
“First our food, clothes and marriages, now even our vocabulary and our votes are being policed. Insecurity, thy name is BJP,” she added.
Bano, a 2021-batch IPS officer who was serving as Additional Superintendent of Police in Kharagpur, was transferred. Her transfer followed controversy over a video in which she spoke about her UPSC journey and credited Aligarh Muslim University’s Residential Coaching Academy for helping her prepare for the civil services examination.
The video drew criticism from some right-wing organisations over Bano’s use of Islamic expressions.
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Tags: #Mehbooba slams BJP over IPS officer Bushra Bano transfer# says ‘even our vocabulary and votes are being policed’
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