Jammu, Mehbooba Mufti, President of the Peoples Democratic Party, has strongly criticized the BJP-led government’s policies in Jammu and Kashmir, asserting that the region has been turned into a “prison” under the current administration, with widespread curtailment of freedoms and repression of its people.
According to Kashmir Media Service, during a public address in Rajouri, Mufti articulated her concerns about the suppression of free speech and the overall unhappiness among the residents of Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh. She highlighted the alienation felt by various communities, including Dogras and Buddhists, and the palpable terror among the Kashmiri populace.
Mufti accused the central government of exploiting the region’s natural resources, stating that local assets such as power projects, land, and mineral deposits have been handed over to outsiders, leaving the native population burdened with high costs and little benefit. She also criticized the aftermath of the abrogation of Article 370, challenging the official narratives of development and pointing out rising unemployment and corruption in local recruitment processes.
In addition, Mufti addressed recent controversial statements made by an Indian Home Minister regarding the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, dismissing them as mere electoral rhetoric. She also called for legal action against a BJP leader who allegedly used threats against Pahari Muslims in the Poonch-Rajouri area to secure votes, suggesting such behavior warrants severe legal repercussions under India’s stringent anti-terror laws.