Have no faith in delimitation commission, says PDP's Mehbooba Mufti

Jammu and Kashmir PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said on Saturday that she had no faith in the delimitation commission which was "working on the BJP's agenda".

She also accused the BJP of using National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) to demoralise her party because of its moves to expose the saffron party's "false narratives" but said "the PDP is not going to be cowed down by such steps".

"As far as the delimitation commission is concerned, it is BJP's commission. Their attempt is to pitch the majority against the minority and further disempower the people. They want to increase the (assembly) seats in such a way to benefit the BJP," Mehbooba told reporters after addressing a youth convention in Rajouri district.

She said the PDP has no faith in the delimitation commission.

Asked for her comment on the decision of the National Conference to participate in the delimitation commission's associate members meeting in New Delhi next week, the former chief minister said, "It is their decision and what else can I say about that."

On the Jammu and Kashmir government's changes in the land use laws enabling conversion of agricultural land to non-agricultural purposes, Mehbooba claimed that it is a wrong decision and part of a "conspiracy of the hidden agenda of the BJP".

"They want more and more people from outside to come and buy land here to engineer a demographic change," she alleged.

About NIA's reported summon to PDP district Development Council (DDC) member and vice chairman DDC Ganderbal Bilal Ahmad to New Delhi for questioning in connection with a case on December 23, Mehbooba said since her party is raising its voice against their narrative and debunks their claim of restoration of normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir, they are "using ED and NIA to silence the party".

"They don't have anything else against us. They cannot fight us politically and hence they are using ED and NIA to demoralise us. However, the PDP is not going to be cowed down by such moves and we are not going to stop," she said.