New Delhi, August 5, 2023: Former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti and several other Jammu and Kashmir political leaders were placed under house arrest on the occasion of the fourth anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370 on Saturday.
The Jammu and Kashmir People’s Democratic Party (PDP), led by Mufti, had sought permission to hold a seminar to mark the event, but the administration denied the request.
In response to the house arrest, Mehbooba Mufti tweeted, “I’ve been put under house arrest along with other senior PDP leaders today. This comes after a midnight crackdown where scores of my party men are illegally detained in police stations. GOIs false claims about normalcy to the SC stands exposed by theirs actions driven by paranoia.”
Mufti further expressed concern about the contrasting treatment by the authorities, as giant hoardings calling for the “celebration” of the Article 370 abrogation were displayed across Srinagar, while her party members faced detention and brute force to suppress their sentiments.
The PDP had requested permission to hold a seminar or discussion with the public on the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A on Saturday. However, the Srinagar administration denied the party’s request without providing any reason.
In contrast, the administration allowed the BJP to hold an event at Jawahar Nagar Park and a rally from Nehru Park to the SKICC to “celebrate” the abrogation of the two Articles.
Mehbooba Mufti accused the BJP government of allowing celebrations to “hoodwink” public opinion while suppressing the voices of dissent. She denounced the administration’s dual and biased approach, calling it a facade to justify the government’s “illegal actions.”
The revocation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019, had stripped the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir of its special status and divided it into the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. The anniversary of this historic event continues to be a subject of tension and debate in the region.
