SHE IS LEADING the charge against the revocation of special status for Jammu and Kashmir. Iltija Mufti is the elder daughter of former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, who is under house arrest. She has been attacking the BJP relentlessly, accusing it of delivering a body blow to the soul of India. The 32-year-old has called the removal of Article 370 a constitutional fraud. Excerpts from an exclusive interview:
Q/ How do you view the revocation of special status for Jammu and Kashmir?
A/ Every Kashmiri’s face today is lined with a sense of grief, sullen anger and betrayal. Mufti sahab [Mufti Mohammad Sayeed] believed in the idea of India, a country that celebrated its democratic values and diversity. I am relieved he is not alive to see how the [Union] government, backed by a brute majority, has desecrated the Constitution. We have begun our descent into Godse’s India and this is a body blow to the soul of the country. For all the might of this government, they literally went behind our backs like thieves and stole what was rightfully ours.
Q/ Why do you call it a constitutional fraud?
A/ I am no legal expert, but I do know that the Constitution describes India as a union of states. Just because the BJP has a majority does not give it carte blanche to demote and punish states by declaring them as Union territories. It has set a dangerous precedent. What if they invalidate other federal agreements, too? It is a serious attack on the federal model of our country. Also, this order required the assent of a constituent assembly. How can a constitutional head, like the governor, who is appointed by the ruling party, represent the will of the people of J&K? This is totally illegal and undemocratic.
Q/ Do you think the Supreme Court will overturn the removal of the special status?
I have great faith in the Supreme Court. But, one feels disappointed to see their response to the habeas corpus petitions and those regarding curtailment of press freedom in Kashmir. What hope does this country have if the judicial system does not stand up for its people? We all know the abrogation of Article 370 was constitutional harakiri. The court has to choose between saving this country’s soul or giving into pressure tactics of the government of India, which is behaving worse than a bull in a China shop.
Q/ How does it feel to be the lone Kashmiri voice protesting the revocation of Article 370?
A/ Well, this is certainly not by design. There are young Kashmiris like Shehla [Rashid], too, who are braving the risks and speaking up. I was threatened and intimidated as well. We were indirectly told PSA [public safety act] files are ready to be signed if we do not keep quiet. But I want the government of India, especially the BJP leaders, to know that these tactics will not work with me. Nothing will weaken my resolve to stand up.
Q/ Do you intend to play an active role in the PDP in the absence of your mother?
A/ No, I do not. I have consciously stayed away from politics and will continue to do so. Reluctant politicians are a recipe for disaster. The media assumes that leaders are made by simply giving interviews. The truth is a lot of hard work goes into it and we must not trivialise such matters.
Q/ Has the removal of special status caused the death of mainstream politics in J&K?
A/ You are asking me the wrong question. Events in J&K must not be looked in isolation. We are at the crossroads of our history. Mob violence, selected persecution of minorities and NRC [National Register of Citizens] fiasco show that every day the soul of this country is being assaulted. Citizens will have to choose between India of Gandhi and Godse. Having said that, there is no doubt that political leaders were arrested to create a sense of fear amongst the general public. No one can freely speak up. The assumption is that if this could happen to a former chief minister where are we in the scheme of things?
Q/ You moved Supreme Court to meet your mother in Srinagar. Were you denied a meeting with her by the J&K administration?
A/ I am disgusted and appalled at the behaviour of the state administration. They can deny all they want but I have proof in the form of written communication about wanting to see [my mother], which they purposely ignored. You have officers who spend the entire day tweeting and making announcements, vis-a-vis J&K, when the cruel truth is that Kashmiris cannot even view them. What are they trying to achieve? I have asked them repeatedly for information pertaining to the detention of minors on [my mother’s] behalf. All I got is silence. How long will you hide the truth?
Q/ The government says not a single bullet has been fired and most curbs have been lifted.
This is the same government that claimed Farooq [Abdullah] sahab was doing mauj masti at his house. They denied he was detained only to slap PSA a month and a half later on him in the middle of the night. This is the same government where the governor denied that the government of India had plans to abrogate Article 370, despite signing the very same order. Can we trust them or their version of events?
Q/ How is your mother coping up with the detention?
A/ Well, she was very relieved to see me. But she is worried about the overall situation and the manner in which minors are being picked up from their beds at midnight. She reads the Quran and books that we send. This is not just about my mother. It is about people of J&K. They have endured a lot and are very resilient, so do not think you can crush their spirit by repressing them.
Q/ Why have Mehbooba’s mother, brother and sisters not spoken about her detention and the situation in Kashmir?
A/ I am speaking up on behalf of the family. This is not a family saga where every member has to talk. We all understand the gravity of the situation.
Q/ Where do you think the situation in Kashmir is headed now?
A/ I am not a soothsayer, so I cannot predict what will happen. I do know the government wanted to demean Kashmiris and show them their place. It is a gaping wound which may not ever heal.