The president of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mehbooba Mufti, strongly criticized the Jammu and Kashmir Police on Thursday for attaching the Hyderpora residence of the late separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani. This action also targeted the headquarters of his political outfit, Tehreek-e-Hurriyat, located in Budgam district.
Mufti labeled the police’s decision as “unfortunate and inhuman,” especially considering that Geelani’s 80-year-old widow resides in the house. While addressing reporters in Anantnag, she remarked, “Today is Gandhi Ji’s day. He once said he saw a ray of light in Kashmir when the whole of Asia was burning. Now the same Kashmir is seen as criminal, its people as criminals, their homes and businesses as criminals. Even employees are being sacked by labelling them anti-nationals.”
She emphasized that the authorities are effectively criminalizing the lives of ordinary Kashmiris. Geelani’s widow remains a direct reminder of the legacy that the current government seems intent on erasing. Mufti articulated her discontent by stating, “Geelani Sahib has left this world, but his widow lives there. You might have differences with him, just as we have with RSS ideology, but attaching his home is inhuman. The BJP protested across Bihar over an insult to ‘mother’, but here even an 80-year-old widow has not been spared.”
Furthermore, Mufti cautioned that actions like these deepen existing distrust and alienation within the region. She stated, “By attaching Geelani’s house, you are not reducing distances but widening them. You banned JEI schools, you targeted madrasas, now you attach homes. What have you made of Kashmir?”
In a comparison to international conflicts, she said, “Even Israel and Hamas are attempting dialogue, but in Kashmir—where people stood with you in 1947—you are criminalizing them. This is very bad.” Her words reflect a growing concern about the deteriorating situation in Kashmir and its impact on local communities.
Reports indicate that the Jammu and Kashmir Police announced the attachment of the Tehreek-e-Hurriyat headquarters under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Officials revealed that the three-story structure on one kanal and one marla of land in Hyderpora served as Geelani’s operational base. The Union Home Ministry had previously banned Tehreek-e-Hurriyat for its alleged role in fostering terrorism and spreading anti-India propaganda.
Mufti further directed her criticism towards the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), alleging that it incites communal hatred as a diversion from its failures in governance. The PDP leader remarked, “They have no jobs, no hospitals, no roads. So they divide Hindus and Muslims to seek votes. What should I say about Yogi Ji, Bulldozer Baba? May God give them wisdom.”
