Jammu and Kashmir's PDP, People's Conference Say Govt Disallowed Party Functions

Jammu and Kashmir's PDP, People's Conference Say Govt Disallowed Party Functions

The government defended the move of disallowing functions citing Covid-19 protocol.

Two regional parties on Sunday said that the Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor administration disallowed them to hold party functions in Srinagar and Kupwara respectively. PDP president and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday said she was placed under home detention to prevent her from addressing party youth convention at Gupkar.

 

Mufti did a four-minute walk around rows of empty and overturned chairs places where youth were supposed to congregate to listen to her. She accused the government of deliberately shutting off the agency of dialogue and conversation to the youth so that in desperation they resort to violence.

 

“My dear children, you will have to be persistent with your peaceful struggle to make your point. The government may be trying to provoke you to resort up a stone or resort to violence but you have to be careful. Don’t fall in the trap. Don’t cow down, speak up and make sure you are heard," she said.

“Let me tell you that I wanted to speak and listen to you but government has not allowed us do that. But don’t worry if they have prevented this meet, I will make it a point that I will come to your doors to hear your grievances," she said in a video posted on social media.

 

Following her detention, and youth not being allowed to her Gupkar residence, party workers staged a demonstration at a number of places against the denial by administration to hold the youth convention.

The government defended the move of disallowing functions citing Covid-19 protocol. It even issued order confirming government was stalling the function. “In view of the report received by the office of Senior Superintendent of Police, Srinagar, and COVID-19 restrictions in place. It is hereby ordered that the scheduled youth conference that is to be held by PDP at Gupkar is hereby not allowed," the order reads.

The order directed the Station House Officer, Ram Munshi Bagh, to ensure that “no such event takes place at Gupkar without permission of the competent authority".

Meanwhile, J&K People’s Conference today hit out at the administration for not permitting it to hold a rally in Kupwara. Adnan Ashraf, PC spokesman said the party regrets the partisan approach of District Administration Kupwara for repeatedly denying permission to the party for organizing a convention while facilitating other parties in holding public gatherings.

“It is highly unfortunate that repeated requests by JKPC to hold a convention in Kupwara are denied due to COVID concerns while other parties are facilitated & allowed a free hand to hold public rallies. We urge @dckupwara to avoid partisan approach in enforcing COVID protocols", J&K Peoples Conference tweeted from their official account.

PC General Secretary Imran Reza Ansari also questioned the rationale behind denying permission to the PC while allowing other parties to hold gatherings.

“I am in wonderment. In the context of Omicron, DC Kupwara has no problems in allowing other parties to hold rallies. But what covid protocol has DC Kupwara hidden from the scientific community which warranted denial of holding rally by our party just a week back. Permission denied 3 times, " he tweeted.

 

Meanwhile, National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah told reporters after holding a rally in Anantnag that government was trying it best to break the unity of the PAGD. “The government was able to break away some constituents of PAGD but the parties that are there fully understand these conspiracies and will not allow them to succeed," Abdullah told reporters when they pointed out that PDP convention was not allowed.