On Thursday, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti fiercely criticized the Jammu and Kashmir Police for their decision to attach the late separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani‘s residence located in Hyderpora, Budgam district. The house also functioned as the headquarters for Geelani’s political outfit, Tehreek-e-Hurriyat.
Mufti labeled the police action, which left Geelani’s 80-year-old widow still residing in the house, as both ‘unfortunate and inhuman.’ During a media interaction in Anantnag, she remarked, “Today is Gandhi Ji’s day. He once said he saw a ray of light in Kashmir when the whole of Asia was burning. Now the same Kashmir is seen as criminal, its people as criminals, their homes and businesses as criminals. Even employees are being sacked by labelling them anti-nationals.”
Highlighting the impact of such moves on the local populace, she asserted that the government’s actions only serve to criminalize ordinary Kashmiris. She stated, “Geelani Sahib has left this world, but his widow lives there. You might have differences with him, just as we have with RSS ideology, but attaching his home is inhuman. The BJP protested across Bihar over an insult to ‘mother’, but here even an 80-year-old widow has not been spared.”
Mufti warned that the continuing forceful measures will further alienate the people of Kashmir. “By attaching Geelani’s house, you are not reducing distances but widening them. You banned JEI schools, you targeted madrasas, now you attach homes. What have you made of Kashmir?” she questioned.
Drawing parallels with historical and global conflicts, Mufti expressed concern over the deteriorating situation in Kashmir. She noted, “Even Israel and Hamas are attempting dialogue, but in Kashmir—where people stood with you in 1947—you are criminalising them. This is very bad.” Her statements underscore the urgent need for dialogue and reconciliation in the region.
The actions of the J&K Police followed the attachment of the Tehreek-e-Hurriyat headquarters under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Officials clarified that the three-story building, which occupies one kanal and one marla of land on Airport Road in Hyderpora, functioned as a headquarters for Geelani’s outfit. In 2023, the Union Home Ministry had outlawed Tehreek-e-Hurriyat, citing its role in fomenting terrorism and spreading anti-India propaganda.
Targeting the central government, particularly the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Mufti claimed the ruling party stirs communal unrest to mask its failures in governance. She said, “They have no jobs, no hospitals, no roads. So they divide Hindus and Muslims to seek votes. What should I say about Yogi Ji, Bulldozer Baba? May God give them wisdom.”
Mufti’s remarks resonate with many in Kashmir who feel marginalized and further prove the escalating tensions in the region. As political discourse shifts rapidly, the impact of government policies, especially in Kashmir, remains a critical point of discussion. The issue highlights the urgent need for coalescing diplomacy with effective governance to restore peace in a tumultuous environment.
