KL NEWS NETWORK
SRINAGAR
National Conference Wednesday lashed out at PDP President Mehbooba Mufti and the PDP-BJP Government for “interfering into the religious affairs” of Shia community in Budgam by imposing a curfew to prevent a commemorative function to mark the death anniversary of Aga Syed Mehdi.
“The Administration was instructed to disallow Senior NC Leader and MLA Budgam, Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi from presiding over a commemorative function at Imam Bara at Budgam. He was placed under house arrest under the directions of PDP President Mehbooba Mufti and a curfew was imposed in the town,” NC Spokesperson said in a statement.
“Two close aides of PDP President Mehbooba Mufti, including a legislator and an adviser of the Chief Minister visited Budgam late last night and held secret meetings at the house of one of their political henchmen aimed at preventing the local MLA and Shia leader from participating in his father’s death anniversary function. How can this Government prevent an elected representative from visiting the Imam Bara to pay a tribute to this father? What is Mehbooba Mufti’s jurisdiction in misusing the Police and Administration in subverting a political opponent’s democratic rights? If this is how tyrannical Mehbooba Mufti has become at the bare speculation of her taking over as the Chief Minister, one can only dread the fate that awaits our people as and when she actually takes over,” the NC Spokesperson stated.
The NC Spokesperson lashed out at the District Administration and the J&K Police for violating their mandate and sacrificing their objectivity to appease the unconstitutional and illegitimate whims of the PDP President – “who was personally involved in the decision to prevent the followers” of the Aga family from paying a tribute to the departed leaders.
“The Police and Administration cannot subvert the protocol and rights of an elected MLA because two cronies of the ruling party instructed them to do so on-behalf of their party President. They can deny any such illegal and illegitimate orders and they have constitutional and legal protection to uphold the sanctity of their duties. This is absolutely unacceptable and both the District Administration as well as the J&K Police needs to explain its role in this undemocratic exercise, failing which the option of moving the court remains open to the party,” the NC Spokesperson added.
“Let us also be very clear in addressing Mehbooba Mufti. Madam your party has lost the Budgam seat despite all your machinations, covert alliances and opportunistic nexuses to defeat the National Conference candidate. It is about time you wake up and realize the finality and sanctity of this verdict and stop acting as ‘Khaliq DC’. The days of ‘Khaliq DC’ and such subversion of democracy are long over. This impropriety won’t be tolerated anymore. This should also be a note of caution to the Administration and the Police – they cannot cross the line of their constitutionally permitted mandate to appease the ruling party. This is a democracy and not a dictatorship – as much as Mehbooba Mufti refuses to believe this,” NC Spokesperson further added.
