Mehbooba Mufti’s daughter, Iltija Mufti, took to Twitter on Friday to relay her detained mother’s concerns over the number of arrests and detentions that have taken place in India-occupied Kashmir since New Delhi decided to strip it of its autonomous status on Aug 5.
Mufti, a former chief minister of occupied Kashmir, was first placed under house arrest — the night before the revocation of Article 370 that granted Kashmir its special status — and subsequently arrested the day of the move.
According to a notice issued to Mufti, the Jammu and Kashmir People’s Democratic Party chief, she has been detained because her activities “are likely to cause a] breach of peace”.
Iltija, operating Mufti’s account “with due authorisation” since access has not been provided to the Kashmiri leader, tweeted images of a letter sent to the home secretary on behalf of her mother, requesting information pertaining to the arrests and detentions, as well as the number of districts under prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Indian Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).
“I, Iltija emailed the Home Secretary of GOI & Home Secretary of J&K on 18th September seeking certain information for my mother, Ms Mufti. I am still awaiting a response,” she wrote.
“During the period of her detention, she has had no access to newspapers and has not had [a] political briefing from a member of her party or staff thus far. She has only been able to meet the members of her immediate family, including myself,” wrote Iltija in the letter.
I, Iltija emailed the Home Secretary of GOI & Home Secretary of J&K on 18th September seeking certain information for my mother, Ms Mufti. I am still awaiting a response. ?? pic.twitter.com/ZtjFodUMEV
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) September 20, 2019
“You are requested to provide me with the following information, as soon as possible and preferably within three days,” reads the letter addressed to the Indian government.
Earlier this month, it emerged that authorities in occupied Kashmir have arrested nearly 4,000 people since the scrapping of its special status last month.
