Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday visited the families allegedly evicted by the forest department in central Kashmir's Budgam and said "Naya Kashmir has rendered locals homeless".
"At Budgam, I met 108-year-old Zooni cruelly evicted from her land by a callous J&K administration. Is their definition of Naya Kashmir a place where locals will be rendered homeless? What is their crime and where will they go?" she said.
Ms. Mufti was denied permission to visit the forest dwellers earlier this month.
She alleged that the government was bringing people from across the country, however, people from here (J&K) were being evicted. "These forest dwellers have never opted for violence. They are pushed to the wall and are being forced to take harsh steps," she warned.
On the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) move to seize property of National Conference president Dr. Farooq Abdullah, Ms. Mufti said the attaching of properties is "sheer political vendetta".
"The move was evident from the abuses heaped on the Peoples Alliance for Gupkar Declaration by BJP. People of J&K were least impressed and placed their faith in the alliance. Using agencies like NIA and ED to settle scores shows BJPs frustration," Ms. Mufti said.
