Attachment of Geelani’s property unjustified, says Mehbooba Mufti
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Thursday hit out at the Centre, alleging that it was treating the people of Jammu and Kashmir as criminals.
While talking with reporters Mufti said that government employees were being sacked and labelled as anti-national, while even houses were being branded in the same way. “They even brand houses as anti-national. Then these lifeless properties are attached or blown up with explosives,” she said.
Her remarks came in response to the recent attachment of the Hyderpora residence of late separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, which also served as the headquarters of the banned Tehreek-e-Hurriyat Kashmir. The three-storey building was sealed under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) on Wednesday.
Mufti strongly objected, saying Geelani had died but his 80-year-old widow still lived in the house. “There is something called humanity. Recently, Bihar was shut down because someone used abusive language against a mother. Here, an 80-year-old widow, who is also a mother, lives in that house. And you are attaching it,” she said.
The former chief minister said ideological differences should not result in inhuman actions. “We don’t agree with RSS ideology, nor did we agree with Geelani’s ideology. But that does not justify treating his home as criminal property,” she added.
Mufti also criticized the ongoing crackdown on Jamaat-e-Islami institutions, saying that schools and trusts were being unfairly targeted. She accused the Centre of turning Kashmir into a place of fear through frequent raids and attachments.
“In 1947, Jammu and Kashmir chose India over Pakistan. Today you are treating the people here like criminals,” she said, stressing that dialogue, not force, was the only solution to Kashmir’s issues.
Taking a direct swipe at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Mehbooba Mufti said, “May God give him some sense. Instead of politics religious basis , he should focus on building good roads, hospitals and providing jobs. They provide none of these to the people, but when elections come, they exploit religious sentiments and create a Hindu-Muslim divide just to seek votes.”.
