MOHMMAD HANIF KHAN

AIP Calls for Unified Protest at Jantar Mantar for Statehood, Constitutional Rights; Rejects Mehbooba Mufti’s Claims as Misleading

Srinagar, Feb 4: The Awami Itihaad Party (AIP) today held a press conference at Press Club Kashmir, addressed by Chief Spokesperson Inam Un Nabi and Vice President G N Shaheen. Those present included General Secretary Prince Parveez, Spokesperson Peerzada Firdouse, State Secretary Sheikh Ashiq and senior leader Farooq Ahmad.Addressing the media, the AIP announced its decision to hold a peaceful demonstration at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, to press for the restoration of statehood of Jammu and Kashmir, protection of constitutional rights and an end to the harassment of Kashmiris outside Jammu and Kashmir. The party invited the National Conference, PDP and all regional political parties, along with socio-economic forums, to join a unified protest at Jantar Mantar instead of limiting symbolic actions to the lawns of Jammu.Vice President Adv G N Shaheen said that while AIP’s political vision goes beyond the restoration of statehood, statehood remains the basic premise for the restoration of fundamental rights and the realization of the people’s broader political aspirations within the framework of the Constitution of India. He said the party has taken a clear decision to raise the issue of statehood in the Assembly and in the Parliament of India, noting that repeated demands by MP Baramulla Engineer Rashid in Parliament have made statehood a loud and consistent demand. AIP believes the issue must be pursued across all constitutional forums and in the public domain.Reacting sharply to the statement by PDP President Mehbooba Mufti, AIP Chief Spokesperson Inam Un Nabi termed her allegation that Kashmiri MPs were silent on attacks and harassment of Kashmiris outside the region as misleading and deeply dishonest. He said it erases facts on public record and ignores her own political past.He stated that Engineer Rashid, brought to Parliament in a prisoners’ bus without even a windshield, raised the issue on the very first day of the session. When denied the opportunity to speak, Er Rashid walked out of the House in protest, clearly asserting that the dignity and safety of Kashmiris are non-negotiable. “To claim that no MP from Kashmir raised the issue is either a deliberate lie or willful political blindness,” he said.Inam Un Nabi asked Mehbooba Mufti to answer for her own record during the PDP-BJP alliance. He questioned how many Kashmiris were arrested or detained under harsh laws during her tenure, how many voices were silenced and how many excesses were ignored in the name of coalition compulsions.Citing a recent tweet by Iltija Mufti in which she described India as “lynchistan,” AIP said the PDP leadership must first answer its own record. Inam Un Nabi pointed out that incidents of lynching and mob violence began surfacing nationally during the period when Mufti Mohammad Sayeed was Chief Minister in alliance with the BJP and Mehbooba Mufti herself was part of that power structure. Referring specifically to the Dadri lynching of Mohammad Akhlaq in 2015, he questioned why Mehbooba Mufti chose silence then while enjoying power, but seeks to use the same issue today for political posturing. “If India is being called ‘lynchistan’ now, why was there no moral outrage or public stand when lynching began under your own coalition government?” he asked.. The party also referred to the Udhampur truck attack of October 2015 in which Kashmiri victim Zahid Rasool Bhat was set on fire and later died and the Sarore (Samba) incident of February 2016 in which a Gujjar youth was killed during eviction and police action, asking why her voice remained muted then. AIP further recalled the mass pellet injuries between July and November 2016, with hundreds suffering severe eye damage, rejecting any attempt to downplay those documented facts.Responding to allegations about a newly joined candidate during the last election, Inam Un Nabi said Mehbooba Mufti herself had earlier claimed such postings were done by New Delhi. He questioned who “posted” the same individual back into the PDP when the candidate rejoined her party months later.On Srinagar’s commercial hub, Inam Un Nabi said those claiming to be saviours of Shehar-e-Khaas must remember that it was Mufti Mohammad Sayeed who bulldozed the area. “That was not merely demolition of shops; it bulldozed the economy of Shehar-e-Khaas,” he said.The AIP reiterated its appeal to all regional parties and forums to participate actively in the proposed Jantar Mantar protest, calling for a united, constitutional struggle to restore statehood and protect the basic rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.CNI