Mehbooba Mufti, the chief of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), took to the streets of the capital on Wednesday to protest against the anti-encroachment drive being carried out by the J&K administration. Along with scores of supporters, Mufti gathered at the Boat Club area with an aim to march towards Parliament to inform opposition parties about the eviction drive in the UT. However, the police detained Mufti and took her, along with party workers, to Jantar Mantar. Mufti questioned, “We had come to inform people, opposition parties and members of the ruling BJP about the misery being faced by the public at large in J&K. If we can’t go to Parliament, I wonder where we should go then. Does the government want us to get our grievances redressed at the United Nations?”
In Srinagar, the J&K All Alliance Democratic Party held a protest led by Rakib Ahmad near Pratap Park. The protesters raised slogans against the administration, terming the eviction drive “anti-people and anti-poor” and calling for it to be stopped immediately. However, they were stopped by the police from marching towards Lal Chowk.
According to news agency PTI, Democratic Azad Party Chairman Ghulam Nabi Azad has warned that the ‘hartal and stone-pelting’ culture may return if houses and small shops are demolished. Azad alleged that the eviction drive has resulted in corruption and thanked Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha for their assurances of not harming the poor population but called for an official order to provide relief to the distressed people.
The Panun Kashmir has welcomed the anti-encroachment drive, as per PTI.
The Chenab Times News Desk