Srinagar, July 15:  Opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti has strongly condemned the police action on peaceful demonstration by its youth wing at City centre of Residency Road.
 She said demonstration was held against “denial of civil liberties, continued imprisonment of youth and political leaders in Kashmir and their harassment through false police cases.”
 The demonstration organized by the youth wing of PDP led by Nisar Ahmed Mandoo senior vice district president, Youth general secretaries Er Nazir Ahmed Yatoo and Showkat Gayoor, youth state secretary Asif Khan, District youth president Jahangir Wani, Ashok Bhat, Muneeb Ahmed, Parvez Ahmed and Imtiyaz Khan was dispersed by the police using baton charges on them.
 The party said several protesters sustained injuries while some including youth general secretary Er Nazir had to be provided treatment at the hospital. Four youth leaders Showkat Gayoor, Nazir Ahmed Yatoo, Parvez Ahmed and Ali Muhammad Baba were taken into the custody.
 The demonstrators carrying placards demanding “release of prisoners and scrapping of false cases” against the youth started a march from the PDP head quarters at the Emporium Lane.
 As they sat on a Dharna, witnesses said, the police used force to disperse them.
 Condemning the attack Mehbooba said “the present government has choked the democratic space in the state.”
 “They have imposed a virtual martial law in Kashmir as no voice of dissent is heard or tolerated,” she said and cautioned this ‘undemocratic attitude’ could create more alienation and hatred among the masses.
 Mehbooba said the coalition government seems to be “feeling too insecure to even allow normal democratic activity in the state.”
 “But the PDP would continue to raise issues of public interest with full force.”

Lastupdate on : Fri, 15 Jul 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 15 Jul 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 16 Jul 2011 00:00:00 IST