J&K Police prohibits PDP Youth Convention; workers hold protest, alleges Mehbooba Mufti under house arrest

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) workers held a protest on Sunday after the party’s youth convocation was prohibited. The convention of the youth wing of the party was scheduled to take place at PDP president Mehbooba Mufti’s ‘Fairview’ residence on Gupkar Road. The party workers also alleged that the PDP president has been put under house arrest. Speaking to ANI, PDP district chief Bashir Mir said, “The youth convention was to be held at Mehbooba Mufti’s residence. We were fully prepared for the convention. 1000 youths were called today for the convention. All roads leading to the Mufti’s residence were sealed by the police. We also tried to hold it at headquarters but the office was also sealed by the administration. They are taking away our democratic rights.” A PDP youth leader, Irfan said that the people of Jammu and Kashmir are not happy with the three-tier democratic setup. Today was our youth convention. They did not allow us to go ahead. They also put our chief under house arrest. On the one side government is saying they are running a three-tier democratic setup. They are running the Panchayati Raj institution. People are not happy with the Panchayati Raj institution neither people are happy with the three-tier democratic setup. On the ground, people are not happy with the Union Territory administration. They are suppressing the voice of youths," Irfan added. Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir Police said that they did not allow the PDP youth convention because there were credible inputs of vehicle-bound IEDs being used to target civilians and high-security installations. “There are credible inputs of vehicle-bound IEDs being used to target civilians and high-security installations. The Gupkar Road houses high-security buildings of various organisations and security-sensitive establishments and intelligence agencies. Allowing a large number of vehicles to be parked in this high-security zone would have jeopardised the security in the area. It is pertinent to mention that no such gatherings and amassing of vehicles were allowed on the road earlier too,” it said. The police also rejected the claims that Mufti is under house arrest. “It is completely incorrect that Mufti is under house arrest,” the police added.