SRINAGAR: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday accused the Jammu and Kashmir authorities of applying “double standards” to political parties, after the BJP and National Conference held rival protests in Srinagar.
“The very same police that won’t allow PDP to step outside its office to hold a peaceful protest on public issues have facilitated both BJP and NC to protest against each other,” Mehbooba said in a post on X.
She questioned who authorised the restrictions and why, according to her, the law was being applied differently to different political parties.
The remarks came as the BJP and ruling National Conference held counter-protests in Srinagar on Wednesday.
The BJP had called for a march from Ghanta Ghar in Lal Chowk towards the Civil Secretariat to protest against the Omar Abdullah government over issues including unemployment, alleged corruption, price rise and electricity tariffs. Police stopped the protesters near Hari Singh High Street, although some BJP workers managed to reach the Civil Secretariat.
The National Conference, in response, had announced a peaceful gherao of BJP offices in Srinagar and Jammu, seeking accountability from the Centre over its commitments on Jammu and Kashmir, including restoration of statehood and constitutional guarantees.
In Srinagar, NC workers assembled in Rajbagh and attempted to march towards the BJP office in Jawahar Nagar, but were also stopped by police.
The rival protests led to heightened security and restrictions around Lal Chowk and Jawahar Nagar as authorities sought to prevent the two groups from coming into confrontation.
Mehbooba’s criticism was specifically directed at what she described as selective restrictions on the PDP, rather than a claim that the BJP and NC had been completely free to protest.
