Article 370 abrogation anniversary: Mufti, PDP leaders under 'house arrest'
On the fourth anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370, former Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Chief Minister and Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP) supremo Mehbooba Mufti and several other party leaders have been allegedly put under "house arrest" on Saturday. Furthermore, Mufti took to social media to share photographs of the locked gate of her residence located on the outskirts of Srinagar.
Why does this story matter?
It is worth noting that Saturday (August 5) marks the fourth anniversary of when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government revoked Article 35A and Article 370, which accorded special status to J&K in 2019. The Centre also bifurcated the erstwhile state into two union territories (UT): Jammu and Kashmir (with legislature) and Ladakh (without legislature).
Party men illegally detained in police stations: Mufti
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), the former J&K CM said, "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." "[The Centre's] false claims about normalcy (in J&K) to the Supreme Court stands exposed by [their] actions driven by paranoia (sic)," Mufti added.
Mufti flags 'giant hoardings' across Srinagar
Mufti also spoke about "giant hoardings" that have been installed across Srinagar, calling Kashmiris to "celebrate" the "abrogation of Article 370." "On one hand, giant hoardings calling upon Kashmiris to 'celebrate' the illegal abrogation of Article 370 have been put up across Srinagar," she tweeted. "Whereas brute force is being used to choke the actual sentiment of the people," Mufti claimed.
Twitter posts by PDP chief
PDP general secretary also under house arrest: Know more
Meanwhile, PDP General Secretary Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura was also reportedly put under house arrest. "Placed under house arrest & my family also not being allowed to move out," the PDP leader tweeted. "As countless PDP workers have been rounded up by the police, it's ironic how they themselves puncture their "normalcy" ballon. 5 Aug is a black day," Hanjura further stated.
You can read Hanjura's Twitter post here
PDP youth leaders reportedly detained on Friday night
On the other hand, PDP leader Naeem Akhtar claimed that the J&K Police detained several youth leaders of the party by Friday night. While resharing a video posted by Mufti, Akhtar tweeted on Friday night, "By now, most of the PDP youth leaders have been rounded up. Guards have been told not to let me go out on August 5."
Check out Naeem Akhtar's post
How J&K BJP celebrated Article 370 abrogation anniversary
Separately, celebrating the fourth anniversary of Article 370's abrogation, the BJP's J&K wing tweeted, "Four years after the abrogation of Article 370, the UT of Jammu and Kashmir is now moving forward on a new developmental journey." "A holistic development plan has been launched, which has laid the foundation for economic growth in Jammu and Kashmir," it stated in an X post.
