SRINAGAR: Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti’s visit to the under-construction AIIMS at Awantipora has triggered a major political controversy in Jammu and Kashmir, with the ruling National Conference (NC), senior ministers and opposition leaders accusing her of “constitutional overreach” and undermining the authority of the elected government.
The controversy erupted after Mehbooba Mufti visited the AIIMS Awantipora site along with PDP legislators Waheed Ur Rehman Parra and Rafiq Ahmad Naik, where she interacted with officials and reviewed the progress of the project. Photographs released by the PDP showed Mufti being briefed by engineers and officials associated with the institution.
Describing AIIMS Awantipora as the “dream project” of her father and former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, Mehbooba said the institution had the potential to emerge as a major centre of healthcare, medical education and research in Jammu and Kashmir.
“It is good to see the work gaining pace. The project will greatly benefit the local population. I hope local youth are preferred for non-technical and non-professional jobs,” she said during the visit, while also urging Union Health Minister JP Nadda to expedite completion of the project.
However, the visit immediately drew sharp criticism from the ruling National Conference, which questioned the constitutional authority under which the former Chief Minister conducted what it termed a “review meeting” of a central government institution.
NC chief spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq accused Mehbooba Mufti of legitimising an “unelected power structure” in Jammu and Kashmir.
“If unelected politicians can summon officials and review government projects today, what stops RSS or BJP functionaries from doing the same tomorrow?” Tanvir said, adding that oversight of public institutions and government projects was the prerogative of elected governments and authorised authorities.
He alleged that the PDP was attempting to undermine the elected Omar Abdullah-led government at a time when it was intensifying its political campaign for restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s constitutional rights and statehood.
“The PDP was born to counter the Autonomy Resolution, and even today it appears whenever there is a need to weaken a larger democratic movement,” he said.
Jammu and Kashmir Health Minister Sakeena Itoo also reacted strongly, accusing Mehbooba Mufti of behaving as though she still held office.
“Some people seem to be suffering from political amnesia. They still behave as if they are in power, even though they lost office in 2018,” Itoo said in a statement.
Questioning the authority under which the visit was conducted, she asked, “Which power centre in Delhi is directing these actions?”
The Minister further alleged that the AIIMS project had remained stalled during the PDP-BJP coalition government and claimed that the institution had gained momentum only under the present administration led by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
The controversy deepened after Jammu and Kashmir People’s Conference president Sajad Lone described the episode as “nothing short of a constitutional crisis”.
In a strongly worded statement, Lone said the review meeting amounted to an “unconstitutional trespass” that further eroded the already weakened institutional structure of Jammu and Kashmir.
“In what capacity did she chair a review meeting of an institution that comes under the domain of the BJP-led Central Government?” Lone asked, questioning whether there existed a “third power centre” in Jammu and Kashmir.
He warned that allowing unelected political figures to conduct official reviews could create a precedent enabling political functionaries without constitutional authority to interfere in governance structures.
“What stops RSS or BJP non-MLA functionaries from chairing similar meetings tomorrow?” he asked.
The PDP, however, defended Mehbooba’s visit, saying there was nothing unconstitutional about the exercise. PDP MLA Rafiq Naik said the AIIMS project falls within his constituency and the authorities had been formally informed about the visit in advance.
He argued that senior political leaders have historically visited important institutions even when not holding office and said Mehbooba Mufti’s visit should be viewed in the same context.
Meanwhile, the political controversy intensified after the Health Department convened an official review meeting of the AIIMS project on Saturday, a day after Mehbooba’s visit. Sources said Health Minister Sakeena Itoo chaired the meeting to assess construction progress and recruitment preparations for the institution.
PDP leaders alleged that the government called the meeting only after Mehbooba’s visit generated public attention. However, Health Department officials maintained that the review had been scheduled a week earlier.
The AIIMS Awantipora project, sanctioned in 2015 under the Prime Minister’s Development Package and being developed under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY), has witnessed repeated delays over the years.
The proposed 1,000-bed tertiary care institution was initially targeted for completion by December 2025, but official sources now say the deadline has been extended to December 2026, with nearly 26 per cent of the work still pending.
While AIIMS Vijaypur in Jammu became operational last year, the Kashmir AIIMS project has faced delays linked to land acquisition, infrastructure and connectivity issues.
Officials associated with the project said efforts were underway to complete the institution within the revised deadline, although progress remained dependent on weather conditions and execution timelines in the Valley.
