Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Mar 6: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today protested in Anantnag and demanded lifting of ban on Jamaat-e-Islami.
A large numbers of PDP workers and leaders took out a protest march from housing colony to District Police Lines Anantnag at Khanabal. They were trying to march to the Deputy Commissioner’s office but were stopped by police.
The protesters including Mehbooba sat on the road in protest as they wanted to march towards the DC office. However, they later dispersed peacefully. They raised slogans against the Prime Minister and Home Minister. Click here to watch video
Mehbooba described the ban on Jamaat-e-Islami as religious interference. She said her party would continue to protest at district and constituency levels until the Jamaat leadership and clerics of Ahl-e-Hadith and other clerics are released. “It is religious interference and we won’t tolerate this”, she said.
Mehbooba said that she was under pressure to ban Jamat-e-Islami and arrest its leaders when she was Chief Minister. However, she resisted the move.
She said when her party was in alliance with the BJP, she had tightened noose around the saffron party.
Mehbooba said after breaking away from PDP led coalition, the BJP has turned into an “un-controlled elephant” which is trying to decimate everything in Kashmir.
She demanded release of all Jamat leaders and activists. “What are the charges against them. They have arrested 60 and 70 years old aged people without any solid proof,” she added.
Mehbooba said that there is war like situation on borders and a revenge politics has been started in Kashmir by BJP through its Governor.
The PDP president also favoured delay in holding Assembly polls. “Polls will come and go. What should be the priority this time is to pull out Valley from the current turmoil,” she said.
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