If Centre wants Jamaat to join democracy, ban should be lifted: Mehbooba Mufti

Srinagar, Sep 10 (IANS) Former J&K Chief Minister and President of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Mehbooba Mufti said on Tuesday that if the Centre wants the Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) to take part in the democracy then the ban on the organisation should be lifted. 

“If the Centre wants the JeI to take a party in the democratic process then they should life ban on the JeI, release their attached lands and let the Jamaat run schools function again,” the former Chief Minister told media persons on the sidelines of a PDP election rally in support of the party candidate Waheed Parra in the Pulwama Assembly constituency.

On some former members of the banned JeI contesting the Assembly polls, she said that the ‘real’ JeI is suffering due to the government's actions while their schools were shut down, their orchards occupied, they were banned, their party is being torn apart just like the PDP.

“One person stands up saying he is the candidate of JeI, another says he is the one, but the real JeI is suffering and they are in the jails. The NIA, the ED are after them, all the agencies are after them,” she said, adding, that threatening with the central investigating agencies will not work.

She added that it is only her party that speaks for jailed youth. “Only PDP advocates the resolution of the Kashmir issue,” she said.

She targeted the Awami Itihad Party (AIP) of Engineer Rashid saying, “A person in jail is contesting elections while a poor person's family is not allowed to meet their kin in jails. We speak of those languishing in jails.”

“Other parties have become worried and they do not have any other option than to apologise to the people,” she said alluding to Omar Abdullah who removed his cap in Ganderbal to appeal to the voters to elect him.

She alleged that AIP is being provided with vehicles and security.

"When they attack our candidate, instead of the police taking action against them, the Election Commission sends notice to our candidate. By this you should come to know about the person contesting elections from inside jail,” she said.

Engineer Rashid was granted interim bail by a Patiala House court by the additional sessions judge, Chander Jit Singh.

The court granted him interim bail to campaign for his party. The judge said that the bail is valid till October 2 and on October 3 he must surrender.

--IANS

sq/dan