Expressing solidarity with Palestine is no crime, says Mehbooba Mufti; calls Kashmir 'open-air prison'
New Delhi: Mehbooba Mufti, the former chief minister of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, condemned the crackdown on anti-Israel protests in Kashmir Valley saying “expressing solidarity with Palestine is no crime.”
Calling Kashmir “an open-air prison”, Mufti said that here people’s thoughts are being monitored and they are punished for it.
“There is no outlet left to express one’s opinion & this is a deliberate attempt to push Kashmiris to the wall,” she added.
Mehbooba Mufti condemns arrest of Kashmiri artist, Muslim cleric
Mufti also condemned the arrest of 32-year-old Kashmiri artist Mudasir Gul and Muslim cleric Sarjan Barkati.
Gul was detained for his ‘We are Palestine’ graffiti and Barkati from the southern Shopian district was nabbed for denouncing the Israeli airstrike on Palestine while speaking at a local mosque.
“People all over the world are protesting against the atrocities committed by Israel on Palestine. But in Kashmir it's a punishable offence where an artist is booked under PSA & a preacher is arrested simply for expressing solidarity with Palestinians,” Mufti said in a tweet.
Barkati is known for his anti-India speeches and rallies in South Kashmir after the encounter of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen commander Burhan Muzaffar Wani in July 2016.
Later, he was arrested and booked under Public Safety Act (PSA) only to be released in October 2020.
Wouldn’t allow cynical encashment of public anger to trigger violence: J&K Police
Mufti further termed Jammu and Kashmir Public Safety Act, 1978 as GOI’s go-to method for every problem.
In the rest of India dead are being ill-treated but in Kashmir, it’s the living who are made to suffer, she added and shared photographs of anti-Israel protests which took place in the Valley.
On Saturday, J&K police issued a statement saying elements trying to leverage the situation in Palestine to foment trouble and disturb public peace and order in the Kashmir Valley are under the radar.
IG Kashmir Vijay Kumar said that expressing an opinion is freedom but engineering and inciting violence on the streets is unlawful.
"All irresponsible social media comments that result in actual violence and breaking of law including Covid protocol will attract legal action. IGP Kashmir urges cooperation of all citizens," he said.
https://www.timesnownews.com/india/...ba-mufti-calls-kashmir-open-air-prison/757670
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