Kashmiris caged like animals: Mufti's daughter writes to Amit Shah
Slamming the Centre's decision to put Kashmir under lockdown, the daughter of PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti wrote a letter to Home Minister Amit Shah. Iltija Javed, the daughter of former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, said at a time when India was celebrating independence, Kashmiris are "caged like animals". Along with the letter, she also released a voice message. Here are more details.
Backstory: Kashmir's lockdown entered 12th day, Jammu got respite
Before it went ahead with its plan of rescinding Article 370, Centre put restrictions in J&K as a precautionary measure. While restrictions in Jammu were lifted on Wednesday, Munir Khan, Additional Director General of police, said they will continue in Kashmir. With prohibitory orders in place, residents of the valley are forced to stay indoors. Kashmir's lockdown entered its twelfth day on Friday.
Mufti and her political rival Omar have been arrested
To note, there has been an exponential rise in voices who are questioning how Centre tackled Kashmir. More so, because the BJP government decided to arrest Mufti and former CM Omar Abdullah. Javed, too, has allegedly been put under detention and she questioned the same. She claimed security personnel told her she has been "detained" because she spoke to media.
I'm being treated like a war criminal: Javed
"For the world's largest democracy, doesn't a citizen not have a right to speak up in the face of unimaginable repression... It's a tragic irony that I am being treated like a war criminal for stating the inconvenient truth," Javed wrote in the letter.
Further, Javed said she feared for her life
Javed managed to release the voice note at a time when all modes of communication have been snapped. "I am being treated like a criminal and I am under constant surveillance. I fear for my life along with those Kashmiris who have spoken up," she said in the audio message. In the audio message, she revealed her mother wasn't allowed to meet anyone.
Earlier, Javed said she wasn't allowed to see her mother
"My mother was taken yesterday. She has been detained in this government guesthouse called Hari Niwas... we haven't been allowed to get in touch with her. I'm not allowed to see her," Javed said on August 6, a day after Centre moved with its plan.
Meanwhile, Centre says Kashmir will be free from restrictions soon
Meanwhile, the Centre told Supreme Court on Friday that restrictions in Kashmir will be lifted in the next couple of days. The situation in the valley was being reviewed on a daily basis, and it's improving, Attorney General KK Venugopal told a bench headed by CJI Ranjan Gogoi. Further, speculations suggest that communication lines could be restored later in the day.
