The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Thursday disallowed a street protest organised by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Srinagar against the recently notified land laws for the Union Territory (UT).
Fact check | What is true and what isn’t on J&K, Article 370
Several PDP leaders were arrested when they assembled at the PDP’s headquarters in Srinagar, which was later sealed by the security forces.
“We are protesting against the black laws of the black day. Swords are kept hanging over our heads and a barrel is pointed towards our heads, as there is no space left to express our opinion,” PDP spokesman Suhail Bukhari said, just minutes before he was arrested by the police.
Also read: Real estate: On changes to J&K land laws
The other leaders arrested were Khurshid Alam, Waheed Para, Mohin Qayoom, Tahir Sayeed, Yasir Bhat, Rouf Bhat and Hamid Kohsheen.
“The PDP office in Srinagar is sealed by the J&K administration and workers arrested for organizing a peaceful protest. A similar protest was allowed in Jammu so why was it thwarted here? Is this your definition of ‘normalcy’ that’s being showcased in the world?”, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti tweeted.
She said the PDP leaders were protesting “against the settler colonial land laws thrusted upon the people of J&K”.
Also read: Congress rejects notification of new land laws in Jammu and Kashmir: JKPCC chief
“We will continue to raise our voice collectively and won’t tolerate attempts to change demographics. A government desperate to curb any kind of dissent and ready to crush its own people but all the machismo disappears when it comes to fighting China at the LAC,” Ms. Mufti said.
