Former chief minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday said her party would demonstrate in every Assembly segment of the state if the ban on Jamaat-i-Islami is not revoked and its imprisoned members not released.
She was speaking to media persons after leading a protestdemonstration at Khanabal area of the town.
“The ban on Jamat, arresting its aged members even seventyto eighty-year-olds, closing down its offices, intending to even shut theireducational institutes, besides detaining some maulvis, imams and religiousleaders affiliated to Ahlihadith school of thought is nothing but sheerhooliganism. It is direct interference into our religious affairs. PDP won’tallow that, come what may,” said Mufti.
“My party would first start protests from districtheadquarters and then take it to every Assembly segment of the state,” shesaid.
Mufti asked the state government to come up with achargesheet detailing the charges under which Jamaat members have beendetained.
“People have right to know under which charge they havedetained these religious leaders. What is their crime? It should come up withevidence rather than creating this atmosphere of fear,” she said. `
The JeI, a socio-political-religious organisation, wasbanned last week by the Union home ministry on “opinions” that it is in “closetouch with militant outfits and is supporting extremism and militancy”,supporting claims for “secession” and was also involved in “anti-national andsubversive activities”.
PDP leaders Khurshid Aalam, Abdur Rehman Veeri, Ajaz AhmadMir Wachi, Rafi Ahmad Mir, Sartaj Madni, Waheed Parra and other leaders wereaccompanying the PDP president during the protest demonstration.
The workers of the party were carrying banners and shoutingslogans, ‘stop state terrorism,’ ‘stop harassing Kashmiris’ and ‘stopinterference in religious affairs’.
They tried to march towards deputy commissioner’s office atLal Chowk (Anantnag) but were stopped by the police near district police linesKhanabal only.
Asked by media persons about the arrest of a number ofJamaat activists by her government during the 2016 uprising and afterwards,Mufti said, “No, I did not order any of the detentions though I was pressurisedto do so. I resisted the move making it clear that I won’t do it without anyconcrete evidence against them (Jamaat).”
“In fact, that also became the reason for growingdifferences between us and our coalition partner BJP, as I was not in favor ofany such a crackdown,” she said.
Mufti claimed it was her party that kept BJP “under check”during their stint in the government.
“We had tried our level best to keep BJP under check butafter their pull out from the coalition they have gone beyond control. Theyhave turned into that elephant that tramples everything that comes his way,”said Mufti, while citing examples of the harassment of youth, religiousleaders, tension at the borders and “fiddling” with Article 35A.
Mufti also said that her party withdrew 14,000 FIRs againstyouth booked for stone pelting and convinced the Centre to announce one-monthceasefire.
Asked if her party favoured elections on scheduled time,Mufti said, “Election in this atmosphere of uncertainty and fear is a non-issuefor us. This time our priority is to bring Jammu Kashmir out of this quagmire.”