Srinagar: PDP leader Iltija Mufti on Friday said she was ready to cooperate with the police inquiry into the alleged assault of a police officer during a recent protest, while asserting that seeking restoration of Article 370 through peaceful means was her democratic right.
Iltija was questioned for nearly two hours at Kothibagh Police Station in connection with a case registered against her and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti over an August 5 protest against the abrogation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status in 2019.
Speaking to reporters after the questioning, Iltija said she had assured police of her cooperation.
“If an inquiry happens against me, I am willing to cooperate with them. I am not the first woman or the last Kashmiri whom the police have summoned,” she said.
She maintained that her campaign was not personal but represented the sentiments of people in Jammu and Kashmir, asserting that discussing Article 370 and seeking its restoration peacefully was within her rights as an Indian citizen.
“Talking about Article 370 is my legal right. As an Indian citizen, I am entitled to fight peacefully for the restoration of Article 370,” Iltija said.
The case was registered under Sections 132, 121 and 191(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita following allegations that a police officer was assaulted during the PDP protest. Police have alleged that Iltija assaulted the officer, including a claim of biting him, while the PDP has rejected the allegations as politically motivated.
Iltija said the PDP would continue its peaceful protests over the issues of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status, former state flag and constitution.
Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah criticised the case against Iltija Mufti, describing it as a “fixed match” aimed at reviving the PDP’s political credibility.
Reacting to the allegations, Abdullah questioned the police claim of assault and said, “Is Iltija Mufti a five-year-old child who can bite someone?”
He alleged that the controversy was an attempt to divert attention from recent criticism surrounding PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti’s remarks at a Delhi protest.
“This unnecessary attempt to fool the public is nothing but an effort to make people forget about the ‘wohbantahai’ statement,” Abdullah said.
The Chief Minister also accused the PDP of using the Article 370 issue to regain political relevance, while claiming that controversies were being created whenever the party’s image weakened.
The PDP, however, has maintained that the case against its leaders is part of a broader crackdown aimed at suppressing their demand for restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status.
