PDP Chief Mehbooba, her daughter Iltija criticise Central Government for “crushing democracy, failing to bring change after abrogating Article 370”

STC NEWS DESK
SRINAGAR, AUGUST 05 (STC): PDP President, Mehbooba Mufti and her daughter Iltija Mufti today criticized the Central Government for abrogating Article 370 and denying basic rights to the people of J&K. Mehbooba Mufti called abrogation of Article 370 a direct attack on democracy and the Constitution. While as Iltija Mufti said that even after six years of the abrogation of Article 370, there has been no real change in Jammu and Kashmir.
Mehbooba Mufti said, “Today is not just a black day for Jammu and Kashmir, but for the entire country. What was done here in 2019 is now slowly spreading across India.”
Speaking during a protest gathering, Mufti described how peaceful assembly was blocked by heavy deployment of forces. “We wanted to step outside peacefully, but the gates were locked and the area was surrounded by thousands of police and army personnel,” she said.
She alleged that the Indian Parliament used its brute majority to strike down J&K’s special status, violating the essence of the Constitution. “They have passed laws that have no place in the Constitution. Even the judiciary has been weakened,” she added.
Calling J&K a “laboratory of constitutional erosion,” Mufti warned that the same treatment could be extended to other parts of the country. “You may think this is only our fight, but if democratic rights continue to be denied here, soon no one in the country will be safe from this model of governance,” she said.
She also accused the government of silencing elected representatives and disconnecting the people from democratic processes. “When you take away the vote and voice of millions, democracy ceases to exist,” she said.
Meanwhile, Iltija Mufti
speaking to the reporters at the PDP office in Srinagar, said people continue to face restrictions and are denied basic rights.
“We are not even allowed to step outside. CRPF vehicles are parked outside the gate. We wanted to hold a peaceful protest, but we were stopped and treated like prisoners.”
She said the government claims the Indian Constitution now applies fully in J&K, but fundamental rights like freedom of speech and peaceful protest are still missing. “What kind of democracy is this? We are not allowed to raise our voice,” she said.
“There has been no improvement. Our rights are still taken from us,” she added.
Calling August 5 a “black day”, she said the 2019 decision ended the special status of J&K, but also took away the voice of its people. She said the PDP will continue to speak for the people and peacefully raise their concerns.
(STC)