Srinagar: PDP president Mehbooba Mufti stated that the government of India’s efforts to address security concerns in Jammu and Kashmir should not come at the expense of constitutional rights and the rule of law.
Her comments followed statements by Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police RR Swain, who indicated that locals found supporting foreign militants would be dealt with under the harsher Enemy Agents Ordinance, instead of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
Mehbooba criticised the decision to use the Enemy Ordinance Act, describing it as an outdated and unjust law from the Maharaja’s era that violates human rights and contradicts the principles of justice enshrined in the Constitution.
“GOI’s (Government of India’s) quest to address security concerns shouldn’t come at the cost of trampling constitutional rights and eroding the rule of law,” she wrote on X.
Her daughter and media advisor, Iltija Mufti, echoed her concerns, suggesting that these actions indicate no change in the BJP’s policy towards Kashmir.
Iltija Mufti also referenced the arrest of former Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association president, Mian Abdul Qayoom, for his alleged involvement in the murder conspiracy of advocate Babar Qadri in 2020.
She highlighted that Qayoom’s arrest, along with the banning of the Bar Association’s elections, underscores a pattern of repressive actions against Kashmiris.
