J&K turned into 'open jail' after 2019: Mehbooba Mufti
Mehbooba Mufti, the president of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), expressed her concerns about the state of Jammu and Kashmir on Friday. She referred to the region as an "open jail" after the revocation of Article 370 in 2019. Speaking to reporters in Srinagar, she voiced her worries about the future of the Muslim community and the region itself. She pointed out that Mirwaiz Umar Farooq is under house arrest and madrasas are being targeted.
I am worried about the future, says Mufti
"I am worried about the future. Things that started on August 5, 2019 have not stopped. It is still going on. Jammu and Kashmir has been converted into an open jail," Mufti said. On August 5, 2019, the Centre, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, decided to abrogate Article 370, which granted Jammu and Kashmir special status. The government also bifurcated Kashmir into two regions—Jammu and Kashmir in the west and Ladakh in the east—to be ruled directly from New Delhi.
PDP to nominate candidates for Lok Sabha elections
In an unrelated political development, Mufti announced on Wednesday that her party, the PDP, will nominate candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Jammu and Kashmir. This decision came after National Conference (NC) leader Omar Abdullah declared his party's intention to compete for all three seats in Kashmir. Mufti expressed dissatisfaction with Abdullah's decision, stating, "Omar Abdullah should have discussed the same with me for greater interest, we were not going to fight over parliamentary elections."
Lok Sabha elections in Jammu and Kashmir: Key dates
The Lok Sabha elections in Jammu and Kashmir are scheduled to be conducted in five stages. The first stage will commence on April 19 in Udhampur, followed by Jammu on April 26, Anantnag-Rajouri on May 7, Srinagar on May 13, and Baramulla on May 20. The counting of votes is set for June 4. Both the PDP and NC are significant members of the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), which aims to restore special status to Jammu and Kashmir.
