Calling for a united resistance to the alleged “onslaught on our
political and social rights”, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday
targeted Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for “shying” away from taking a
firm stand on Articles 370 and 35A.

Mehbooba, who was speaking at a party workers convention in South
Kashmir’s Pulwama, said the chief minister was “afraid” to speak on
these key issues despite having 50 MLAs in the Assembly and 2 MPs. She
urged him to speak up without fear on matters concerning the youth who
were turning towards drugs and alcohol due to the increasing
unemployment in J&K.

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Mehbooba Mufti also launched a signature campaign during the ongoing
workers convention reaffirming PDP’s commitment to peoples sentiment.
She said her party has moved bills aimed at benefiting the poor and
the youth. She appealed to Omar Abdullah to support these initiatives.

She stressed that the Business Rules of the Assembly should not be
formulated in a way that legitimises the “unconstitutional actions
taken by the centre in 2019”.

The PDP leader criticized lack of discussion on issues such as
tourism, youth welfare and drug abuse, stating that political leaders
must address these concerns instead of avoiding them.

She reaffirmed her commitment to protecting the rights of the people
and ensuring that the government remains accountable to the people.

Meanwhile, the chief Islamic cleric of Kashmir, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq,
commended the initiative of Lal Chowk traders in putting up signboards
in the area urging tourists to respect the local culture, avoid
alcohol and drugs, and maintain cleanliness. He said such civic
initiatives are the need of the hour and should be emulated by others,
especially those associated with the hotel and tourism industry as
these are the places that provide an excuse for the promulgation of
these vices . he said the people have to actively participate in
preserving the moral and cultural ethos of their society and saving
the environment

However, it is strange and unfortunate that this signboard has been
seized by authorities , raising concerns about the motive behind it .
Referring to a post on X questioning this action, Mirwaiz emphasised
that people have the right to advocate for ethical and responsible
behaviour in the society both of its members and outsiders who visit
this place .

Mirwaiz told the authorities that while it has also been cracking down
on menace in J&K , it should support such civic initiatives that
contribute to upholding values and well-being of the community rather
than suppress it.