Journalism of Courage
Premium
This is an archive article published on January 8, 2022
10 PDP leaders booked for breaching Covid norms
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti in turn called out the J&K Police and the administration for “bias” against her party, pointing to a candle light protest by BJP workers in Srinagar Thursday to protest the security breach during PM Narendra Modi's visit to Punjab.
3 min read
PDP members at the official residence of Mehbooba Mufti. (Express photo)The Jammu and Kashmir Police have booked 10 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders, including a former minister, for violating Covid protocols during a gathering to mark the sixth death anniversary of party founder and former chief minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.
Sayeed’s daughter, former chief minister and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, in turn called out the J&K Police and the administration for “bias” against her party, pointing to a candle light protest by BJP workers in Srinagar Thursday to protest the security breach during PM Narendra Modi’s visit to Punjab. The BJP protest was allowed by the government.
“Covid 19 restrictions apply only to PDP. Not to BJP’s protest in Kashmir yesterday (Friday), PM’s rally in Punjab or the mass poojas attended by hundreds of people to pray for his safety. Talks volumes about J&K admin’s brazen bias against my party,” Mufti tweeted.
Covid 19 restrictions apply only to PDP. Not to BJP’s protest in Kashmir yesterday, PMs rally in Punjab or the mass poojas attended by hundreds of people to pray for his safety. Talks volumes about J&K admin’s brazen bias against my party. https://t.co/AnvL0riCMD
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) January 8, 2022
The PDP leaders were booked on the directions of the Tehsildar of Bijbehara town in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district for “disobedience” and “unlawfully or negligently spreading an infection”.
On Friday, Mehbooba Mufti had led the gathering inside Bijbehara’s Dara Shikoh garden, where her father is buried. Initially, Mufti and her supporters were prevented from reaching the venue, but were allowed after they protested against the police and the government.
Soon after, the Tehsildar, who is also the Executive Magistrate, shot a letter to the police, asking them to book 10 PDP leaders, including former home minister Abdul Rehman Bhat (Veeri), Mufti’s uncle Sartaj Madani and youth leader Najm-us- Saqib, for violating Covid protocols.
“It is to intimate that following persons of PDP organised a large gathering… at the tomb of ex-chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed … in complete violation of SOPs and Covid Appropriate Behaviour, which may result in spreading of Covid-19 and other related epidemic,” reads the Tehsildar’s letter to Station House Officer (SHO) Bijbehara. “As such you are directed to book these persons under relevant section with an intimation to this office immediately”.
Following the letter, Bijbehara Police filed an FIR against the PDP leaders under section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by a public servant) and 269 (an unlawful and negligent action that can likely cause spread of infection of any disease).
Advertisement
You May Like
Live Blog
Top Stories
Advertisement