Srinagar: Police on Thursday barred the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) from holding a protest against the new land policy that was approved by the Centre and allows all Indians to purchase land in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
The police sealed the PDP office, located opposite the Municipal Park in Srinagar and arrested all those who tried to take out a march.
Earlier, a meeting was called by the party’s youth president Waheed-ur-Rehman Para in the office. The police, who were already present on the spot, did not allow anyone to proceed towards the party office and arrested many leaders including Para, Muhammad Khursheed Alam, Rouf Bhat, Harbaksh Singh, Suhail Bukhari, Yasin Bhat, Mohit Bhan and others.
Shortly after the development, former chief minister and PDP president, Mehbooba Mufti tweeted that the PDP leaders were arrested by J&K police for protesting against the “settler-colonial land laws thrusted upon” the people of J&K. “We will continue to raise our voice collectively & won’t tolerate attempts to change demographics,” she said.
Harbaksh Singh, PDP’s additional spokesperson, told the media that the leaders were arriving at the office to participate in a meeting of young party workers. “But as soon as we approached the office in Srinagar, our entire office was under siege and we were not allowed to proceed. Many of our leaders, including me, have been arrested and taken to Kothi Bagh Police station.”
As he was about to be detained and bundled into a vehicle by police, Waheed-Ur- Rehmaan Para said: “We are protesting against the ‘black laws’ which are being enforced on the people.”
Pertinently, the Jammu unit of the PDP held a protest against the new land laws, denouncing the move by New Delhi to “put the land of the erstwhile state on sale”.
Earlier in a tweet, Mehbooba confirmed that the PDP office was sealed. Many party leaders and workers were arrested for organising a peaceful protest. “A similar protest was allowed in Jammu so why was it thwarted here? Is this your definition of ‘normalcy’ that’s being showcased in the world?” she tweeted, tagging Prime Minister Narendra Modi, home minister Amit Shah and J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.
‘Show might against China’
Later, speaking at a press conference at her Gupkar residence, Mufti said that while the BJP is silent over the issue of China and its alleged incursions into Indian territory, it is using muscle power on the people of Kashmir.
“Go and get the land occupied by China, which has martyred more than 20 of our soldiers. But they won’t do that, because they can’t overpower China. They believe in suppressing the helpless Kashmiris,” she said.
She said that there is “complete lawlessness” in Kashmir, saying the region has been “converted into a jail”. She further said that she won’t allow BJP to “loot the resources of Jammu and Kashmir” and promised to fight for the people.
She said it is high time for all the people of J&K to unite and understand what the recently announced coalition, the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration, stands for. “If we don’t unite to fight for the restoration of Article 370, [the BJP wants to rob] the resources and land of Jammu and Kashmir,” the former CM said.
Jammu and Kashmir former chief minister and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) President Mehbooba Mufti addresses her first press conference after her release from over 14 months long detention, in Srinagar, Friday, October 23, 2020. Mufti was in detention from August 5 last year following the abrogation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. Photo: PTI/S. Irfan
She warned that muscle power would not work forever, saying the people will not forgive the BJP.
“Every day, the BJP issues new diktats. Sometimes they violate domicile rules and sometimes put our land on sale or issuing orders on axing employees on age bar and service tenure. We won’t remain silent,” she said.
She slammed the BJP and said, “People in Bihar demand jobs and food from the BJP and this party tells them to go to Kashmir and purchase land there. They cannot give jobs and food to the people and they are telling them to go and purchase land in Kashmir. They are using Kashmir in every election.”
During the briefing, Mufti said, “Sarfaroshi ki tamanna ab hamare dil mein hai, dekhna ki zor kitna baazu-e-qatil mein hai.” (The desire for revolution is in our hearts, we shall see how much strength lies in the arms of the enemy.)
Pertinently, these lines had become a war cry for India’s freedom struggle against the Britishers.