The quest for votes has finally melted the heart of Kashmir’s Iron Lady and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti.

With elections scheduled in a few months, Mehbooba on Monday apologised for a remark that to many had symbolised her apparent disregard for the sufferings of the Valley and her iron fist policy against protesters.

During the 2016 summer agitation following Hizb commander Burhan Wani’s death, Mehbooba had remarked at a news conference with Union home minister Rajnath Singh that the protesting youth do not go to the security camps to “buy milk and toffee”.

People came on roads, we imposed curfew. Does a child (stone-thrower) go to the army camp to buy toffee? Did the 15-year-old boy who attacked the police camp go there to buy milk?” she had asked.

Mehbooba on Monday claimed it had been the outburst of a hurt mother. “Didn’t I have the right to tell these kids… why were you placed at the front of these protests where, God forbid, you (could be) injured,” she told a gathering in Anantnag on the death anniversary of her father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.

“But still, if you are hurt by a mother’s (expression of) anger, I apologise. What else can I do?”