PDP President and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has launched a sharp attack on the central government. She stated that Kashmir, which Mahatma Gandhi once called a “ray of hope,” has today become an open-air prison.
Srinagar: PDP President and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti continues to make headlines with her controversial statements. On Thursday, she said that Kashmir, which Mahatma Gandhi called a 'ray of hope,' has today become an open-air prison. She also expressed sadness over the attachment of separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani's organizational headquarters. Mehbooba Mufti criticized the central government under the guise of paying tribute to the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, on the occasion of his birth anniversary.
Mehbooba Questions Centre's Policies
On Thursday, Mehbooba Mufti stated that the government considers Kashmiris as criminals and anti-national. She alleged that the central government is creating a rift between Hindu and Muslim communities for vote bank politics. She said:
'Kashmir, which stood with India against Pakistan in 1947, has today been turned into a prison. There are no job opportunities, hospitals are not functioning properly, and roads are also in a dilapidated state.'
Questioning the central government's policies, Mehbooba stated that such steps would only increase alienation and diminish the chances of reconciliation in the future.
Attachment of Geelani's Organizational Headquarters
The PDP President also expressed deep displeasure over the attachment of the Tehreek-e-Hurriyat headquarters building. This building is also the home of Syed Ali Shah Geelani, where his 80-year-old widow resides. She questioned what has been done with other places like schools, trusts, and institutions that the government has also sealed in Kashmir?
Mehbooba stated that this move by the government is detrimental to the trust and rights of the people of Kashmir. Mehbooba Mufti made this statement on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti. While paying tribute to the Father of the Nation, she criticized the central government's policies. She maintained that Gandhi had called Kashmir a “ray of hope,” but today, the Centre's policies have transformed it into an open-air prison.
Comparing the situation in Kashmir with the conditions in Gaza, Mehbooba stated that while the entire world talks about peace, the same oppressive approach is being adopted towards Kashmiris. She warned that such policies would increase alienation at both local and national levels.
