Peoples Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday attacked the Centre after the National Investigation Agency conducted raids at 10 locations across Kashmir in connection with a new case the agency has registered to probe hawala transactions, terror funding etc. Terming NIA as BJP’s pet, Mufti wrote it is sad that the national agency has become BJP’s “pet” which is being used to “intimidate and browbeat those who refuse to fall in line”.
“NIA raids on human rights activist Khurram Parvez and Greater Kashmir office in Srinagar is yet another example of GOIs vicious crackdown on freedom of expression and dissent. Sadly, NIA has become BJPs pet agency to intimidate and browbeat those who refuse to fall in line,” Mehbooba wrote.
The office of newspaper Greater Kashmir was one of the 10 locations raided by the agency on Wednesday morning. Slamming the move that throttles freedom, Mufti wrote, “At a time when J&K’s land & resources are being plundered, GOI wants media publications to write op-eds about diabetes & yoga. In BJP’s ‘all is well’ charade, truth is the biggest casualty. Any journalist unwilling to become a part of Godi media is targeted.”
On Tuesday, the Centre issued the gazette notification, omitting the phrase “permanent” resident of the state from Section 17 of the Jammu and Kashmir Development Act. This makes any Indian eligible to buy any immovable property in the Union territory.