SRINAGAR: PDP media advisor Iltija Mufti on Tuesday sought clarification from J&K administration for disallowing them to protest against atrocities committed by Israel on innocent Palestinian people.
She said the party had chalked out a program to protest against Israel and show solidarity with Palestine but “unfortunately” J&K administration has put restriction on party leadership and detained many either in their residences or police lockups.
Speaking at a press conference here in Srinagar, Iltija said PDP had chalked out a protest program to show solidarity with Palestinian people who are facing atrocities at the hands of Israel. She said it is India who stands with Palestine cause from the beginning but we are unable to understand why authorities do not allow us to raise voice against Israel.
“We live in a democratic country where everybody has a right to put forth their point of view but after 2019 nobody here is being allowed to raise their voice. First orders came from New Delhi to break PDP and many leaders left the party. Today we had decided to hold protest at all district headquarters to show solidarity with Palestinian people but the authorities have objection to this as well and our leaders were arrested,” Iltija said.
She said we are unable to understand why J&K administration is repeatedly making PDP as a target and barred our leadership to avail democratic rights. “I’m unable to understand if our foreign policy stands with Palestine, then why we have been barred from democratic practices. Our protest is not against our national interest. This way the authorities treat PDP as anti-national. We believe in democracy and peace. It is our fundamental right to protest. Why J&K administration is snatching this democratic right from us,” she said.
“PDP is under crackdown. We are not being given freedom to organize functions. Many of our leaders have been put under house detention while others have been lodged in Police Stations,” Iltija added.