‘What is the fault of family members?’ Mehbooba Mufti slams bulldozer action against drug peddlers

Srinagar: People's Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti said on Saturday that strict action should be taken against drug peddlers, but innocent families should not suffer by having their houses demolished.

While addressing a party convention in central Kashmir's Budgam district, the former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir said, "If anyone is involved in drug trafficking, they should be jailed, but you should also ask those police personnel who release them after taking money from them. Why are their houses being bulldozed? What is the fault of the family members? Why are you demolishing their houses? There is no justice."

She also criticised chief minister Omar Abdullah over the coercive action, saying, "Omar, if the people had liked bulldozer baba, why would they have voted for you? People voted for you and gave you 50 MLAs thinking you will safeguard them."

Referring to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha's padyatra as part of the Nasha Mukt J-K Abhiyaan in south Kashmir's Anantnag district earlier in the day, the PDP president alleged that government employees, school teachers and students were directed to arrive for the event at 6:30 am.

"I will not name the person who messaged me at midnight last night. That person said the LG is organising Nasha Mukt Abhjiyaan event in Anantnag, but all employees and schools, including women and girls, have been directed to arrive at 6:30 am. I want to tell the LG that the campaign is a good initiative, but... making them wait, I think, is an excess," she said.

The PDP chief accused the government of "rampant corruption", saying deserving youths are denied opportunities while political favoritism dominates recruitment.