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Updated: Feb 20, 2019 18:27 IST

Peoples Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti has been facing non-stop criticism from leaders of former ally BJP. Union minister Giriraj Singh joined the attack on Wednesday, telling the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister that she must stop praising Imran Khan, the Pakistan prime minister. But Mehbooba Mufti stood her ground and called for giving Imran Khan a chance to prove that he sincerely intend to combat terror emanating from Pakistani soil.

Mehbooba Muft’s comment came in the wake of Imran Khan’s statement on Pulwama terror attack saying that under his government Pakistan is working with a “new mindset” towards terrorism. Imran Khan promised to take action against the perpetrators of Pulwama terror attack if there is proof that they acted from Pakistani soil.

“It’s true that whether it was Pathankot attack or Mumbai attack they (Pakistan) were given proof but they didn’t take action. But because Imran Khan is a new prime minister and he is talking about a new start, he should be given a chance. We should give proof and see what they do,” Mehbooba Mufti was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

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However, it appears that Mehbooba Mufti’s call to give new Pakistan prime minister a chance did not go down well with the BJP leader and Union minister Giriraj Singh. According to ANI, he said, “I would like to tell Mehbooba Mufti that she must put an end to her love for Pakistan.”

“Bharat ka khaati hain, Bharat ka gayein. Aasteen ka saanp na bane (You eat here, so praise this land. Don’t be a backstabber),” ANI quoted Gririaj Singh as responding to Mehbooba Mufti’s comment.

Earlier on Tuesday, Mehbooba Mufti had rejected Imran Khan’s claims that Pakistan was ready to act against the perpetrators of terror. Responding to Pakistan prime minister’s televised statement, she wrote on Twitter: “Disagree. Pathankot dossier was given to them but no action was taken to punish the perpetrators. Time to walk the talk.”

Also Read | ‘Easy to start war’: Imran Khan’s pitch for talks with India after Pulwama

She, however, stated that Pakistan PM deserved a chance to prove that in the wake of Pulwama terror incident, the Imran Khan government would punish the culprits responsible for attack on a CRPF convoy carrying more than 2,500 soldiers. At least 40 jawans were killed in the terror attack in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district.

The convoy came under attack by of a suicide bomber, who rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into the CRPF convoy. The impact was such that one of the buses of the convoy was reduced to a heap of mangled iron on the Jammu-Srinagar highway.