Five days after she protested against the alleged detention of her party workers and polling agents on the eve of elections on the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat, an FIR was registered against the president of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Mehbooba Mufti for violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).
The FIR was registered in response to a protest led by the PDP, where the main road at Bijbehara, Anantnag, was blocked on May 25 in opposition to the detention of party workers.
As per the FIR, the protest was a "gross violation" of the MCC. The FIR has been registered against Mehbooba for violating Section 144.
Amusing to find an FIR filed against me for apparently flouting MCC. This is the price PDP has paid for speaking truth to power. Our protest was against GOI in cahoots with local administration for detaining hundreds of PDP polling agents & workers in the hours leading upto… pic.twitter.com/K6w0cTmpgX
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) May 29, 2024
"The Assistant Returning Officer, 45, Srigufwara Bijbehra complained against Madam Mehbooba Mufti for violating the Model Code of Conduct", the FIR reads:
"It is bring to your kind notice that on 25.05.2024 a huge number of PDP workers led by Madam Mehbooba Mufti assembled in Bijbehara town and raising slogans for releasing the PDP workers which amounted to the gross violation of MCC. The huge group of PDP workers also blocked the main road and stage a protest at the main spot Bijbehara more than one hour which amounts to violations of section 144 CrPC which is imposed in the parliamentary 3-Anatnang-Rajouri Constituency order issued by the District Magistrate concerned," police said in FIR, adding, "As per the section 144 CrPC gathering of four persons is restricted as per the Model Code of Conduct upto June 4. Hence in violation of the above order, it is requested necessary action may initiated under the rules against Madam Mehbooba Mufti along with her workers who have been identified by the concerned police authorities".
PDP paid the price for speaking the truth: Mehbooba
Reacting to the action of the authorities to register an FIR against her, Mehbooba Mufti said that she is paying the price for speaking the truth.
"Amusing to find an FIR filed against me for apparently flouting MCC. This is the price PDP has paid for speaking truth to power. Our protest was against GOI in cahoots with the local administration for detaining hundreds of PDP polling agents and workers in the hours leading up to voting. Still not satisfied the same administration went on to launch Cordon and Search Operations in traditional PDP stronghold areas to terrorize our voters and prevent them from exercising their right to vote. Ulta chor kotwal ko daante", she posted on her social media account.
She expressed her anguish regarding the FIR lodged against her for allegedly violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC). She said that the PDP is bearing the consequences of speaking the truth.
Supporting her mother, Iltija Mufti reminded that in the hours leading up to voting in South Kashmir, hundreds of PDP workers and polling agents are arrested.
"A deliberate tacit boycott is then ensured in traditional PDP strongholds across Anantnag by launching search operations through the night. This ensures people are terrorized enough not to cast their votes overwhelmingly", she said and added that Mehbooba Mufti staged a protest against the Union Government's meddling and hooliganism.
"Days later an FIR is initiated against her for violating MCC. Truth is its top brass including those heading the local administration wanted to bring down voting in South Kashmir only to ensure Ms Mufti is not sent to Parliament. Those who abuse MCC can't impart lessons to us on upholding its sanctity", she said.
Mehbooba staged a protest amid polling on May 25
As reported earlier, Mehbooba Mufti staged a protest on May 25 when polling for the prestigious Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat was started. She was demanding the release of the party workers and polling agents "detained" by the police in different police stations in south Kashmir.
She alleged that cops conducted raids on the eve of the polling to terrorize her party workers. She further alleged that in every part of north Kashmir including Anantnag district, PDP's polling agents were detained in police stations without any cause or reason.
However, Police rejected the claims by PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti that her party's workers and polling agents have been detained ahead of the elections. Police claimed that "detentions are very few" and those with a "tainted past".
