Kashmir: Do not mistake silence for peace, Mehbooba Mufti tells Centre
The Peoples Democratic Party president urged the central government to trust the people of Jammu and Kashmir instead of seeking political rubber stamps.
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Thursday warned the central government that the current silence in Kashmir should not be interpreted as peace. Speaking to party workers after her unanimous re-election as PDP president, Mufti urged the Centre to place its trust in the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
According to The Tribune, Mufti stated that attempting to impose normalcy through the current political dispensation or securing a rubber stamp from a political party would not solve regional issues. She noted that a party with 50 seats currently obeys every command of the Centre and the Lieutenant Governor without protest, referring to the National Conference government.
The former Chief Minister demanded an end to daily raids and the harassment of families. She also called for the release of undertrials in prisons who have not received due process, including those who are ill or have been granted bail but remain in custody.
Mufti said that while the current atmosphere might serve the political interests of the BJP, leaving the wounds of the people of Jammu and Kashmir raw is not in the national interest. She described the current state as one of suffocation where Kashmiris are unable to speak.
The PDP leader also warned the BJP against using religious divisions for political gain. She alleged that the people of Jammu and Kashmir are being systematically sidelined within the civil administration and the police.
Mufti, who has led the PDP since 2002, was re-elected as president after receiving unanimous support from the electoral college, including members from Jammu who participated online.