Mehbooba Mufti under 'house arrest' during Amit Shah visit? Srinagar Police exposes claim

As Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrived in Kashmir, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti claimed that she was placed under house arrest on Wednesday. Posting a picture of a locked gate on Twitter, she alleged, "While HM is going around Kashmir beating drums of normalcy, I am under house arrest for simply wanting to visit Pattan for a worker’s wedding. If an ex-CM’s fundamental rights can be suspended so easily, one can even imagine the plight of a commoner". However, the Srinagar Police denied this claim citing that the former J&K CM was free to go to Pattan. 

The Srinagar Police stressed, "It is clarified that no restriction of any kind travel to Pattan, travel to Pattan was at 1 pm as intimated to us. The picture tweeted by her is of inside of the gate with own lock of residents who stay in the bungalow. There is no lock or any restrictions. She is free to travel." 

However, the PDP chief claimed that she was informed by Baramulla SP Rayees Mohammad Bhat that she won't be permitted to visit Pattan today. According to her, Jammu and Kashmir Police themselves locked the gates of her residence from inside. Unrelenting on her stance, Mufti accused the police of 'lying' to counter criticism. Thereafter, the Srinagar Police reiterated its position. 

Amit Shah takes on the Mufti dynasty

Addressing a rally in Rajouri during his maiden visit to Jammu post the abrogation of Article 370, Union Home Minister Amit Shah tore into Gandhis, Muftis, and Abdullahs for indulging in corruption during their tenure in power in the Union Territory. In a big symbolic gesture, he commenced his speech with 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai'. The former BJP president is set to address a massive rally in Baramulla today. 

Amit Shah asserted, "Modi Ji has extended democracy from three families to 30,000 people. Democracy meant 87 MLAs, 6 MPs and three families. Were you included in that? In 2014, Modi Ji gave rights to mothers and sisters and tribals. Now it is the turn of Paharis. After the abrogation of Article 370, Modi Ji promised that we will conduct elections at the earliest. For elections, delimitation was necessary. Because earlier, the three families did delimitation for their own benefit. Delimitation took place and for the first time, there was an increase in the seats of the Pahari region." 

He elaborated, "These three families left no stone unturned in doing corruption. Today, Modi Ji is giving health expenditure up to Rs.5 lakh to 27 lakh families of Jammu and Kashmir. Did these families give it to you in 70 years? Shouldn't you ask them why it wasn't given? Whatever money would be earned, they would do corruption and take the money home. There was no money left for you. How would they care for your rights?"