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BJP’s policies have taken us back by decades: Mehbooba Mufti
Mehbooba Mufti, the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister also shared a photograph of a young girl’s belongings being frisked by paramilitary personnel in Srinagar, and said under the BJP’ policies even children were suspects
After security forces conducted rigorous searches in Kashmir Valley after a series of civilian killings, the Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti on Thursday accused the BJP-led government of taking Jammu and Kashmir back by decades.
The former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister also shared a photograph of a young girl’s belongings being frisked by paramilitary personnel in Srinagar. “Sums up the current situation in Kashmir where women & even children are suspects now. This is what BJP has brought J&K to. Their policies have taken us back by decades, “ Mufti said in a tweet.
Security has been beefed up and searches by the police and CRPF have intensified across Kashmir valley, particularly in Srinagar, after a series of targeted killings, including those of minorities and non-locals this month. Union home minister Amit Shah is also expected to visit the region for a security review over the weekend.
The security forces have been seen conducting searches of bikes, cars and passenger vehicles with travellers being asked to de-board for frisking, which was reminiscent of the 1990s when militancy was at its peak.
Locals alleged that hundreds of two-wheelers have also been seized by the police. In a first, women paramilitary forces have been deployed in Srinagar, particularly in city centre, to frisk women and children.
“The situation doesn’t seem right. There is fear. The bikes have as if vanished from roads, “ said M Amin, an auto driver of Srinagar.
Authorities have suspended or reduced the speed of mobile internet services in some parts of the Old City and a few areas of south Kashmir districts, where the attacks by suspected militants were mostly concentrated.
Multiple checkpoints and roadblocks have been erected across the city as the strength of security forces have increased to thwart any untoward incident and prevent further attacks.
Eleven persons have been killed in targeted attacks by suspected militants this month, including five non-locals, three from local minority communities and the remaining three from the majority community. Seven of the killings were in Srinagar.
“Seizing some bikes and shutting down of internet of some towers is purely related to terror violence. It has nothing to do with visit of the home minister, “ IGP Kashmir, Vijay Kumar, said.
