Former Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti’s daughter Iltija Mufti met the incarcerated Peoples Democratic President (PDP) in a makeshift jail here in Srinagar where she has been detained. Iltija was accompanies by her grandmother and mother of Mehbooba Mufti.
Sources said that the mother and daughter of Mehbooba Mufti were allowed to meet the incarcerated former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir in private. Last time these two had met her in September.
Mehbooba Mufti was arrested on August 5 last year when the government of India revoked Article 35 A and amended Article 370 that guaranteed special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. Same day the state was bifurcated into two union territories.
The authorities also arrested former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and his father Dr Farooq Abdullah as well.
The authorities also arrested thousands of political activists from the mainstream and separatist camps.
Meanwhile, the authorities have allowed Iltija Mufti and other family members to visit the grave of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) founder Mufti Mohammad Sayed in South Kashmir district of Anantnag on his fourth death anniversary on Tuesday.
The development comes days after Miss Mufti wrote a letter to the Director SSG, seeking permission to visit the grave of Sayed. However, Mehbooba Mufti, who remained under detention since August 5, would not be allowed to visit the grave of her father.
“Yes I received verbal communication from the authorities permitting us ( Iltija and her family) to visit the grave of Sayed to pay our respect on his fourth death anniversary,” Iltija said.
Iltija said she is hopeful that the authorities will stick to their decision and allow her family to visit the grave of her grandfather on this death anniversary.
Meanwhile, PDP has also sought permission from Divisional Commissioner Baseer Khan to visit the graveyard of the founder of the party. Sources said that Div Com has forwarded the letter to the Deputy Commission, Anantang and the SSP, seeking their inputs.
“My aunt has come from US and my uncle has also come… About 7 to 8 family members will be visiting the grave of Mufti Sayed on Tuesday. We used to mark that day (death anniversary) by staying together and going to his grave and offer prayers there. This is going to be the first time that my mother (Ms Mehbooba) will not be there,” Iltija said.
Mehbooba Mufti was detained at her Gupkar residence on Thursday, when she was scheduled to visit the grave of Mufti Sayed.
After her detention last week, Miss Mufti wrote a letter to the SSD Director, seeking permission to visit the graveyard on Tuesday.
She also asserted that she is seriously considering asking the Director SSG and Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to remove her security cover. “I am seriously considering writing a letter to the Director SSG and Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) asking them to remove my SSG cover because it has become a stick they keep beating me up with. They keep harassing me and I have had enough,” she had said.
“I didn’t want them (authorities) to say that I didn’t seek their permission to go to the grave of my grandfather to pay my respect on his fourth death anniversary. So I wanted to make sure that they allow us to go there because for us it is not an occasion we are going to politicize it is deeply personnel,” Miss Mufti said.
However, the PDP has been denied permission to visit the grave. The deputy commissioner, Anantnag said a decision that suits the law and order situation shall be taken.
