Page 2 - Mehbooba Mufti

EC now a 'branch of BJP', conducts polls on its signals: Mehbooba Mufti

Mufti slamming the Centre over the issue of Kashmiri Pandits said that the government is there to "disrupt everything".

BJP subverting independence of Election Commission: Mehbooba Mufti

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday accused the BJP of subverting the Election Commission to an extent that it was no more an independent body. She alleged that the Election Commission has become "an extension" of the BJP. "It will do whatever the BJP tells it to do." "Election commission has been subverted to an extent that it is no more the independent body of which the country was proud. Our election commissioners were invited by other countries to seek expert advice on conducting elections," Mufti told reporters in Khiram area of Anantnag district. She said the Election Commission has failed to act against the BJP even though the ruling party has violated the laws. "In Himachal Pradesh, the BJP leadership campaigned for polls on religious basis. Muslims are being threatened openly but election commission remains a silent spectator," the PDP leader said. The former chief minister said election in Jammu and Kashmir will be held only when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) giv

India's democracy far better than any other nation's: Jitendra Singh

Union minister Jitendra Singh on Tuesday took a dig at PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti for using the elevation of Rishi Sunak as Britain's prime minister to lament alleged divisiveness in India, saying that India's democracy is far better than that of any other country in the world. The Minister of State for Personnel, without naming anybody, questioned the mindset which is "possibly motivated by reluctance to accept the fact that Jammu and Kashmir is part of India". "Anybody who is familiar with the history of independent India and the history of Indian democracy would have no doubt that democracy in India is far better than any other country's in the world," Singh told reporters here. For example, India has witnessed more than one presidents either from the minority or from the weaker sections, he said. "I am proud to say that during the Vajpayee regime, we had APJ Abdul Kalam as the President of India. After Prime Minister Modi took over, we had Ram Nath Kovind and now we have (Droupad

Proud moment that UK will have Indian-origin PM, says Mehbooba Mufti

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Monday said it was a proud moment that Indian-origin Rishi Sunak was elected as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom The former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said while India rightly celebrates Sunak's elevation, it should also serve as a reminder that the Britain has accepted an ethnic minority member as its premier but we are still shackled by divisive and discriminatory laws like NRC and CAA." National Conference leader Omar Abdullah, who has a British mother, did not comment on the development but retweeted a tweet by George Osborne, the former chancellor of the Exchequer in the UK. "Rishi Sunak will be Prime Minister by the end of the day. Some think, like me, he's a solution to our problems; others think he's part of the problem. But whatever your politics, let's all celebrate the first British Asian becoming PM and be proud of our country where this can happen," Osborne said.

Surprised by priorities of media's prime time debates: Mehbooba Mufti

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday hit out at the media, saying instead of covering real problems, it was wasting time by discussing non-issues such as the Jammu and Kashmir administration issuing an eviction notice to her. The administration had earlier this week issued an eviction notice to the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister, saying she was not entitled to use the bungalow on the high security Gupkar Road. "The media is wasting time in discussing non-issues like Mehboba Mufti vacating the house. Ideally, they should focus on real issues and problems faced by people (of Jammu and Kashmir) but they are not doing that," the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader told reporters after paying obeisance at her father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed's grave in Anantnag district. Mehbooba also said that seizing of passport, questioning by the Enforcement Directorate or eviction notices do not surprise her. "If anything surprises me, it is the priorities of (the visual) media," she ...

BJP has failed to provide security to Kashmiri Pandits: Mehbooba Mufti

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday said the BJP has failed to provide security to the Kashmiri Pandits living in the valley, but would "sell" their blood for securing votes. Mufti's remarks came after Puran Krishan Bhat, a Kashmiri Pandit, was shot dead by terrorists in south Kashmir's Shopian district on Saturday. "They (Kashmiri Pandits) decided not to leave Kashmir and stay with the people, with Muslims, here. Today, he (Bhat) was targeted after 30-35 years (since insurgency broke out in the valley), even as there is so much security, so many forces. "People are jailed in the name of hybrid terrorists, sacked from services on doubt, but even then, the BJP has failed to provide security to the Kashmiri Pandits," Mufti told reporters in Bandipora. She visited Dar-ul-Uloom Raheemiyah, an Islamic seminary. The residence of the rector of the seminary, Rehmatullah Qasmi, was raided by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) recently. The former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister

No action against senior bureaucrats involved in corruption, alleges Mufti

Low rank officers are fired without any investigation, while no action has been taken against senior bureaucrats involved in corruption in Jammu and Kashmir, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti charged on Friday. Her remarks came after the J-K government ordered premature retirement of 36 police personnel for their alleged involvement in corruption, lack of performance and anti-social activities. "Odd that LG admin hasn't taken action against senior bureaucrats involved in cash for govt jobs scams-FAA, JKSI,etc. Post 2019 a new ecosystem of officers have emerged who are amassing millions without any accountability while low rank officers are fired without any investigation," the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister wrote on Twitter.

'Didn't anyone from Jammu deserve to be the LG?' asks Mehbooba Mufti

People's Democratic Party Chief Mehbooba Mufti attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party for not appointing someone from Jammu as the Lieutenant Governor of the Union Territory

Put under house arrest to prevent visit to Pattan: PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday claimed that she has been placed under house arrest to prevent her from visiting north Kashmir's Pattan town. "While HM (Home Minister) is going around Kashmir beating drums of normalcy, I am under house arrest for simply wanting to visit Pattan for a worker's wedding," she tweeted. "If an ex CM's fundamental rights can be suspended so easily, one can't even imagine the plight of a commoner," she added. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to address a public rally in Baramulla town later today.

Mehbooba poisoning young minds in J-K for vested political interests: BJP

Jammu and Kashmir BJP president Ravinder Raina on Tuesday accused PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti of "poisioning young minds" for vested political interests after she objected to students being compelled to sing 'Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram'. The former chief minister had on Monday posted a video on Twitter in which school staff were seen asking students to recite the hymn, considered Mahatma Gandhi's favourite bhajan, and termed it the government's real "Hindutva agenda". "Jailing religious scholars, shutting down Jama Masjid & directing school kids here to sing Hindu hymns exposes the real hindutva agenda of GOI in Kashmir, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief had said in the tweet. Reacting to her remarks, Raina said she should avoid playing such politics by "poisoning the young minds". "Mahatma Gandhi united the whole nation by this bhajan during the freedom struggle. The school children also sing 'lab pe aati hai dua banke tamanna meri... (my heart's desire comes to my lips as a ..

Azad's remark on Article 370 his opinion, will fight for restoration: Mufti

Terming former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad's remarks on Article 370 a "personal opinion", Peoples Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti on Monday said her party will fight for its restoration and "end injustice" in the Union territory. At his maiden rally in Kashmir after quitting the Congress last month, Azad had on Sunday slammed those promising the restoration of Article 370, saying it was not in their hands and that he would not mislead people over the issue. Mehbooba, however, said, "The way the Congress put an end to oppression by the British, there are voices in Jammu and Kashmir which believe that not will will Article 370 be restored but the (Kashmir) problem will also be resolved." "Azad Sahib may have a different opinion. The BJP may have a different opinion. What can I do? We are firm on our opinion. We will end injustice," she added.

Sajad Lone's PC opts out of meeting called by NC over J-K voter list

The efforts of the National Conference and PDP to put up a united front against the "inclusion of non-locals as voters" in Jammu and Kashmir suffered a setback on Monday as the People's Conference chairman Sajad Gani Lone opted out of the "all party" meeting scheduled at the residence of the NC president. The National Conference called the meeting after remarks related to the addition of voters in the revised rolls by the Union Territory's Chief Electoral Officer Hirdesh Kumar raised hackles of the regional parties. If this effort (all party meeting) was serious, it would not be held under media gaze. Had it been serious, we would have met and you (media) would not even know about it. I don't agree with the politics of Farooq Abdullah but I have immense respect for him, Lone told reporters. He said the meeting seemed to be a point-scoring exercise and he would not want to be a part of it. One lady (Mehbooba Mufti) says call an all party meeting and the other makes (phone) calls for

Will go on hunger strike if J-K's electoral demography is changed: Lone

He said he will neither accept the explanation given on voting rights to non-locals by the government nor reject it

J&K: On the cusp of change, but challenges remain for political parties

The unstated premise is that existing political parties will now face a big challenge - both from locals and 'outsiders'

Mehbooba slams Congress for anti-AAP protests; Congress MP hits back

PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday slammed the Congress, accusing it of failing to rally the opposition in support of the Aam Aadmi Party, whose leaders are being investigated by central agencies. Congress leader Manickam Tagore hit back, saying Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and his "gang" were caught in a "real corrupt act" and deserve to be brought to justice. Mufti took to Twitter also to remind the Congress that its leaders too were "victims" of the "Enforcement Directorate onslaught". Delhi Congress leaders and workers staged a protest on Saturday demanding the resignation of Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia a day after the CBI carried out raids at his residence in connection with the alleged irregularities in the rollout of Delhi's Excise Policy 2021-22. "Sad that the Congress is unable to rise above party interests because AAP is a formidable opponent. Having been a victim themselves of ED (Enforcement Directorate) onslaught yet they are joining BJPs ...

Mehbooba seeks all-party meet to oppose right to vote for non-locals

Former chief minister and president of Peoples Democratic Party, Mehbooba Mufti on Thursday sought an all-party meeting to oppose decision to allow voting rights to non-locals in Jammu and Kashmir.

Outsiders registering as J-K voters last nail in coffin of democracy: PDP

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Thursday said she has asked National Conference (NC) leader Farooq Abdullah to convene an all-party meeting of Jammu and Kashmir to decide the future course of action with regard to election commission allowing outsiders to register as voters in the Union Territory. According to Chief Electoral Officer Hirdesh Kumar, Jammu and Kashmir is likely to get around 25 lakh additional voters, including outsiders, after the special summary revision of electoral rolls being held for the first time after the abrogation of Article 370. "I have requested Farooq sahib, being the seniormost leader, to convene an all-party meeting to discuss the new developments for adopting a unified course of action to deal with it," Mufti told reporters. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president said she has asked the NC president to invite even those parties with which "we have differences". She said the move of the election authorities to allow outsiders residing ordinarily

As president, Kovind fulfilled BJP's political agenda: Mehbooba Mufti

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Monday said former President Ram Nath Kovind has left behind a legacy during which the country's Constitution was trampled upon as he "fulfilled BJP's political agenda". Droupadi Murmu was on Monday sworn in as India's 15th President at an impressive ceremony in the packed and historic Central Hall of Parliament. "The outgoing President leaves behind a legacy where the Indian Constitution was trampled upon umpteenth times. Be it scrapping of Article 370, CAA or the unabashed targeting of minorities & Dalits, he fulfilled BJPs political agenda at the cost of the Indian Constitution," Mufti tweeted soon after Murmu took oath as president. Kovind demitted office on Monday after completing his five-year tenure.

BJP using criminal elements to further its agenda: Mehbooba Mufti

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Monday alleged that the BJP was using criminal elements to perpetuate its agenda of "communal division and hatred". "First the Udaipur murderer & now an LeT militant caught in Rajouri both have active links to the BJP. The ruling party is using criminal lumpen elements be it cow vigilantes or terrorists to perpetuate their agenda of communal division & hatred," Mehbooba charged in a tweet. The former chief minister said had these accused persons been associated with an opposition leader, multiple FIRs would have been filed. "Imagine if any of these culprits were associated with any opposition leader. By now multiple FIRs would be lodged & godi media would lap it up by devoting endless prime time space to discredit the opposition," she added. The PDP chief was reacting to media reports which claimed that one of the killers of the Udaipur tailor was a member of the BJP while a Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist arrested from Jammu region was IT cell ...

Mehbooba raising communal frenzy for petty political gains, says BJP

Taking a dig at PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti for her remarks on the country's economy, the Jammu and Kashmir BJP said on Wednesday she was raising communal frenzy for petty political gains and to provoke people. Targeting the central government, the former J and K chief minister said the Sri Lankan economic and political crisis should serve as a wake-up call for India. What happened in Sri Lanka should serve as a wake-up call. Since 2014, India is being whipped into a communal frenzy & imagined fears. It is treading the same path of hyper nationalism & religious majoritarianism. All at the cost of disrupting social cohesion & economic security, Mehbooba tweeted. Reacting to her remarks, chief spokesperson of J-K BJP Sunil Sethi said, "Tweets of Mufti indicate her frustration on growth of India as the world leader and destructive situation existing in Pakistan, whose economy is in shambles as also its very existence. Being frustrated because of pathetic conditions in Pakistan, .