MEHBOOBA IS NOW UNDER HOUSE ARREST
The authorities in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday shifted incarcerated former chief minister and leader of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Mehbooba Mufti to her residence in Srinagar’s Gupkar area from a makeshift jail. However, she would continue to remain in detention under Public Safety Act (PSA).
Only her place of lodgement has been changed through a fresh order issued by Shaleen Kabra, principal secretary (home) to the J&K government, under the provisions of a stringent law. ‘Fairview’, her official residence on the foothills of Zabarwan here, has been declared a ‘subsidiary jail’.
Ms Iltija Mufti who runs her Twitter account said that her mother is home but still booked under the PSA. “This isn’t a release...the house has been declared as a subsidiary jail,” she said.
In a series of tweets, she said that media was not given access to her mother at all despite waiting for hours. “Is Government of India scared that she’ll articulate her views on illegal abrogation of Article 370?”, she asked and asserted “Time doesn’t change facts or erase a betrayal etched in memory”.
She said that when restrictions are finally lifted on Ms. Mufti, she will approach all stakeholders for a joint strategy to move forward. “She will also speak to the press about her views on what transpired post August 5,” she said adding that the former chief minister has urged the Centre to immediately release all detainees including political leadership jailed in and outside J&K.
She said, “All Kashmiris illegally detained since August 5 deserve freedom. Their continued incarceration even in times of a pandemic undermines our democratic credentials. Nevertheless, I’d like to thank everyone for their support & good wishes.”
Reacting to Ms. Mufti’s continued incarceration, National Conference leader and former chief minister Omar Abdullah tweeted, “@MehboobaMufti must be set free. Shifting her home while continuing to keep her detained is a cop out”.
J&K People’s Conference chief spokesperson and Srinagar’s Mayor Junaid Azim Mattu said the continued detention of Ms. Mufti and other mainstream politicians is “authoritarian”. He said, “They’ve been under detention for more than eight months now- not allowed access to the media, to their colleagues and their relatives.”
Ms. Mufti is among several politicians who were taken into custody ahead or immediately after Article 370 was scrapped.