Srinagar: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Friday led a massive protest at the party headquarters in Srinagar against the registration of an FIR against her daughter and party leader Iltija Mufti, with hundreds of workers raising slogans against the police action and the abrogation of Article 370.
The protest witnessed a large gathering of PDP leaders and activists, who condemned the police case registered against Iltija Mufti in connection with the August 4 protest in Srinagar. Demonstrators accused the authorities of attempting to silence political dissent through legal action.
During the demonstration, party workers also raised slogans against the August 5, 2019, constitutional changes, reiterating the PDP’s demand for the restoration of Article 370 and Jammu and Kashmir’s special constitutional status.
PDP workers gather at the party headquarters in Srinagar in support of Mehbooba Mufti and Iltija Mufti ahead of their police questioning.
The protesters criticised the registration of the FIR against Iltija Mufti, alleging that the case was politically motivated and intended to intimidate opposition voices.
The protest remained confined to the party headquarters, with workers carrying placards and chanting slogans against the police action and the constitutional changes introduced in Jammu and Kashmir in 2019.
The protest comes a day after Srinagar Police registered a case against Iltija Mufti, alleging that she assaulted and bit a police officer during a PDP protest earlier this week. The PDP has rejected the allegations, maintaining that its leaders and workers were subjected to excessive force by police during the demonstration. [KNT]
