Mehbooba Mufti likens current restrictions due to CAA violence to 'Kashmir lockdown'

Amid the imposition of curfew and section 144 in several areas of the country due to continuing violence against the amended Citizenship Act, PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti, on Saturday, likened the prevalent situation to that of Kashmir. She lamented that had people shown empathy towards the continued lockdown, this situation may have been avoided. The Twitter handle of the former J&K Chief Minister who is under house arrest is handled by her daughter, on her behalf.

Republic crew manhandled by anti-Citizenship Act protestors in Patna

Mehbooba likens anti-CAA curfews to Kashmir

BJP has ensured 'Kashmir-like' situation in every part of India: Mehbooba Mufti

Anti-CAA protests

The protests against CAA which began in Assam has now spread throughout the country. Violent protests have been witnessed in Assam where 4 people have died, West Bengal where numerous public property damaged and internet snapped in places, Delhi where buses were burnt and Jamia Millia students were attacked by Delhi police and thousands protested at Jamia Masjid. Hundreds have been detained in all these states. 

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Moreover, violent protests have been witnessed in Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra where a mob of protestors have attacked police, pelted stones and set ablaze several buses. Major breakdown of law and order has been witnessed in these places, where police have resorted to lathi-charge, imposed section 144 in select areas and detaining hundreds of protestors. 11 have died in UP, 2 in Mangalore as of date in these protests. The protest is against the amended Citizenship Act which amends the Citizenship Act 1955 to make refugees who are Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan, eligible for citizenship.

Current Kashmir situation

Meanwhile, Prominent mainstream leaders - Mehbooa Mufti, Omar Abdullah, Sajid Lone, etc remained detained in Jammu and Kashmir till a date which the Centre claims will be decided by the local administration. The J&K Administration has recently extended Farooq Abdullah's detention by another three months under the draconian Public Safety Act (PSA). Despite being detained under the Public Safety Act, oddly, the 81-year-old mainstream politician was recently included in a 21-member consultative committee on defense by the government.

Prashant Kishor slams Congress leadership for its absence in protests against the CAA

Since the revocation of Article 370 and the bifurcation of the State into two Union Territories, the Valley continues to be under lockdown. While post-paid mobile services and landlines have been restores, the internet is still suspended. Though markets and road transport has been improving, locals are still being targetted for breaking curfew by terrorists. The Centre has stated that train services, hospitals and other services have resumed normally.