Mehbooba leads PDP protest against govt ban on Jamaat in J&K

Srinagar: PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti Wednesday led a protest rally of her party in Anantnag district against the Centre's ban on Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) Jammu and Kashmir for allegedly having close ties with militant outfits and demanded revocation of the decision.

The former state chief minister led scores of her party activists at the rally in the south Kashmir district.

A large number of PDP workers and leaders took part in the protest held outside a housing colony in Khanabal area. They raised slogans demanding revocation of the ban and release of Jamaat leaders and activists detained during a crackdown by police last month. Speaking to reporters, Mufti warned she would intensify her protest if the ban is not lifted.

"Our imams and moulvis are being arrested. 70- and 80-year-olds are being jailed. Offices of JeI have been sealed. People having Ahli-Hadith ideology are also being jailed. PDP is protesting against all this. We will not allow this muscle power.

"We will protest at district level and then in every (assembly) segment. We want the ban to be revoked and these elderly people be released. Also, people should be told what their crime is, what is the charge that they face, what is the evidence on the basis of which they have been jailed," the PDP president said.