SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Iltija Mufti on Tuesday strongly condemned the arrest of senior PDP leader and tribal activist Chaudhary Talib Hussain, terming the action a “political vendetta” and an attempt to suppress democratic dissent.
Talib Hussain was detained during protests at Raika Bandi in Sidhra on the outskirts of Jammu, where demonstrations were being held against a recent demolition drive carried out by the Forest Department to remove alleged encroachments.
According to reports, Hussain had reached the area along with supporters and was planning to lead a foot march in solidarity with families whose structures were demolished during the May 19 anti-encroachment drive in the Raika Bandi forest area. Nearly 30 structures belonging to members of the Gujjar community were razed during the operation.
Police personnel deployed in the area allegedly attempted to stop the march, citing law and order concerns, and detained Hussain. Soon after, protests intensified and a section of demonstrators reportedly resorted to stone-pelting. Police responded by firing several aerial shots to disperse the crowd. Some police personnel were also reportedly injured in the clashes.
In an official statement, police said personnel from Police Station Bagh-e-Bahu, along with Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and armed police units, had been deployed to maintain law and order in the area.
“Despite repeated warnings and persuasion not to carry out the protest without proper permission, as it was likely to create a law and order problem, Talib Hussain and his associates began stone-pelting with the intention of causing injury, obstructing police personnel in the discharge of their duties and disrupting public order. They also delivered provocative speeches. In retaliation, police fired a few aerial shots,” the statement said.
Police said an FIR has been registered and further investigation is underway.
Reacting to the arrest, Iltija Mufti said detaining a political leader for peacefully raising the concerns of marginalized families reflected “an alarming intolerance towards dissent and democratic expression.”
“Instead of engaging with distressed families, addressing their grievances, and ensuring justice, the administration has chosen intimidation by targeting those speaking on behalf of poor and neglected sections of society,” she said in a statement.
“The government’s response to human suffering cannot be arrests and coercion. When citizens who have lost their homes seek answers, and public representatives stand with them, the duty of the administration is to listen, not silence,” she added.
Iltija Mufti further said that the demolition of homes belonging to economically weaker families and tribal communities had generated widespread concern across Jammu and Kashmir. She also pointed out that the government had already constituted inquiry committees into the demolition drive, but their findings were yet to be made public.
She maintained that democratic societies thrive on dialogue and accountability, not on the criminalization of protest.
“The repeated use of force, detentions, and intimidation against those demanding justice only deepens public alienation and erodes trust in institutions,” she said.
Demanding the immediate release of Talib Hussain and others detained during the protests, she urged the administration to adopt a conciliatory approach and engage meaningfully with the affected families.
“The voices of the poor cannot be bulldozed into silence. Justice demands compassion, consultation, and accountability,” she added.
Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir Government has already ordered two separate inquiries into the demolition drive to examine whether provisions of the Forest Rights Act were violated during the operation.
