Mehbooba Mufti fears Modi regime planning to arrest her

Ag Agencies

ISLAMABAD: Former chief minister of Indian-held Kashmir, Mehbooba Mufti, has expressed apprehensions that the Indian government was planning to arrest her as she excoriated New Delhi for its attempts to “demoralise” her through repeated summons.

Mufti said New Delhi was “trying to demoralise” her by calling her in for questioning, the Kashmir Media Service reported on Tuesday. “For the last two years, the Indian government has been trying to annihilate the PDP (her party, the People’s Democratic Party) in one way or another.

“One the one hand, New Delhi is luring PDP leaders, while on the other it is trying to demoralise me by calling me in for questioning. After failing to get substantial evidence of corruption against me, New Delhi has now called my mother. I fear they will also call my daughters and brother in the near future.”

She said the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) was formed to fight for the restoration of special status of Jammu and Kashmir, “not for petty electoral gains”. About the future of PAGD as there has not been a single meeting from the last three months, she said, “Every party has the right to hold programmes on a party basis. As far as PAGD is concerned, it exists for a much larger cause and purpose.”

On the extension of the Delimitation Commission’s process and delay in assembly elections in occupied Jammu and Kashmir, Mufti said: “The Indian government will always want to rule Jammu and Kashmir directly. If Jammu and Kashmir will have its own elected government, they (BJP) think their intervention will minimise [the chances of] taking decisions here,” she added.

Meanwhile, Indian repression continued as seven youths were rounded up in Baramulla and Kupwara districts.

The personnel of Indian army, paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force and police during separate cordon and search operations made the arrests.