“Jammu and Kashmir has been converted into open jail since 2019”: Mehbooba Mufti

Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], April 5 (ANI): PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Friday said that Jammu and Kashmir has been converted into an open jail after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.

“Mirwaiz Umar Farooq is under house arrest. Our madrasas are being destroyed. The Muslim community is in danger. I am worried about the future. The Muslim community is in danger. I am worried about the future. The 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,” Mehbooba Mufti told reporters in Srinagar.

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti also offered Friday prayers at Hazratbal Dargah.

In another jolt to the INDIA bloc, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Chief Mehbooba Mufti announced on Wednesday that they will field their party’s candidates for the Lok Sabha elections in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

The development came after National Conference (NC) leader Omar Abdullah said that his party would be contesting elections for all three seats in Kashmir.

“In Mumbai, I said, Farooq Abdullah is our best representative and he will take the call. Omar Abdullah should have discussed the same with me for greater interest, we were not going to fight over parliamentary elections,” Mufti told reporters in Srinagar.

The National Conference and the People’s Democratic Party are partners in the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance formed to challenge the BJP in the general elections.

The two regional parties are two important constituents of the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration, formed to restore special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

The Lok Sabha polls in the Union Territory will be held in the first five phases on April 19 (Udhampur), April 26 (Jammu), May 7 (Anantnag-Rajouri), May 13 (Srinagar) and May 20 (Baramulla).The counting of votes will be taken up on June 4.