Mehbooba Mufti slams BJP over nullification of Article 370

J&K was also divided into two Union Territories exactly three years back and hundreds of people, including Mufti, were detained to prevent protests over the changes to the region’s constitutional status in 2019

Former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti held a protest outside her party office in Srinagar after she was preventing from leading a procession against the revocation of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K)’s semi-autonomous status on August 5, 2019, through the nullification of Constitution’s Article 370.

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti. (HT PHOTO)

J&K was also divided into two Union Territories exactly three years back and hundreds of people, including Mufti, were detained to prevent protests over the changes to the region’s constitutional status in 2019.

Dozens of Mufti’s supporters joined her for the protest on Friday and they raised slogans against revocation, arrests and killings. Mufti also sought the resolution of the Kashmir issue and release of prisoners

“We planned to march on the third anniversary of the abrogation of Constitution’s Article 370 to Lal Chowk [in central Srinagar]. Police did not allow us to move beyond our office,” said Mohit Bhan, a spokesman for Mufti’s People’s Democratic Party.

In a series of tweets, Mufti attacked the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). “As BJPs malicious designs for J&K have unravelled, the pattern of suppression & fear is now knocking at the door in rest of the country too. Weaponising their pet agencies & using terror laws to stifle dissent has become the norm.”

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said that they will continue their peaceful struggle using all legal and constitutional means to challenge the changes to J&K’s status. “The road ahead may be a long one, full of twists & turns but it’s not one @JKNC_will abandon.”