Pulwama, Sept 10: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president and former chief minister, Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday expressed doubts about the legitimacy of candidates claiming to represent Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI), a socio-political organisation banned by the Government of India under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
Addressing party workers in Babgam village of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district, Mufti said there is a growing perception that Jamaat-e-Islami will participate in the upcoming elections. However, she added that the organisation has been banned and its assets frozen.
She claimed that Jamaat was being fragmented in a manner similar to the division of the PDP. “Today, different candidates in various places claim to represent Jamaat-e-Islami,” she said.
Mufti said the “true representatives” of JeI are currently imprisoned. “The NIA, ED and other agencies are pursuing them, and they have been facing significant challenges,” she added.
The PDP chief urged the Government of India to lift the ban on Jamaat-e-Islami and allow its members to participate in the democratic process. “I urge the government in Delhi to lift the ban on JeI and unfreeze their assets if they want the organisation to take part in the democratic process and address issues within the framework of democracy,” she said.
In south Kashmir, the panel representing Jamaat-e-Islami has officially expressed support for four independent candidates contesting from Pulwama, Kulgam, Devsar and Zainapora constituencies.
On September 8, 2024, the four candidates—Dr Talat Majid, Sayar Ahmad Reshi, Nazir Ahmad Bhat and Aijaz Ahmad Mir—were introduced to the public at a large rally held in Bugam, Kulgam.
Mehbooba targets AIP, says only PDP speaks for jailed youths
People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday asserted that only her party speaks about the youths “languishing in jails”.
She targeted the jailed Engineer Rashid’s Awami Ittehad Party (AIP), saying a person in prison is contesting elections, while a poor person’s family is not allowed to meet their kin in jail.
Rashid was on Tuesday granted interim bail till October 02, 2024, by a Delhi court in a terror funding case to enable him to campaign in the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections.
Speaking to reporters in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district, Mehbooba said, “The PDP is the only party which advocates resolution of the Kashmir issue and talks about the youths of J&K languishing in jails. The other parties have become worried by that, and they do not have any other option than to apologise to the people.”
On Sunday, the PDP candidate from south Kashmir’s Shopian assembly segment Yawar Shafi Banday was injured in an alleged attack by the workers of the AIP in the Balpora area of Shopian.
After the attack, Mufti accused AIP of being a proxy of the BJP. “On one hand, the parents of a poor person in jail are not allowed to meet him, but on the other hand, some people are contesting elections from jail, form parties, they are even provided vehicles and security,” she said
“When they attack our candidate, instead of the police taking action against them, the Election Commission sends notice to our candidate. By this you should come to know about the person contesting elections from inside jail,” the PDP chief added.
