On Tuesday, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti launched her campaign for the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha constituency with a road show, pledging to advocate for the marginalized population in Jammu and Kashmir who lack representation.
After the road show here, Mufti said, I have started my election campaign to raise voice against this enforced silence, the wanton arrests and atmosphere of suffocation that prevails here.
Pulwama and Shopian have always supported us and I have started my campaign from here. I hope people will make our voice, which talks about the wounds of Jammu and Kashmir, successful, she added.
Entire Kashmir has been converted into a jail. No one is allowed to talk. Since the elections have been announced, the process of arrests has also started, Mufti said. You must have heard that recently militants shot at a tourist guide in Shopian which is an unfortunate development. But it does not mean that you will arrest hundreds of youth and place them under the public safety act, she added. It is not about Pulwama and Shopian districts only, this atmosphere has been unleashed across Kashmir. If they are claiming that everything is normal, then why these wanton arrests? she asked.
Mufti, the former chief minister, who is contesting against National Conference candidate and influential Gujjar leader Mian Altaf Ahmad, accused authorities of initiating a process of youth arrests since the announcement of elections.
The Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat is scheduled for polling in the third phase of the elections, set to take place on May 7.