The X account of Peoples Democratic Party leader Iltija Mufti, daughter of former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, was on Monday withheld in India.
A message on her profile said that the account was withheld in response to a legal demand.
The Peoples Democratic Party said on the social media platform that withholding Mufti’s account raised “serious concerns about freedom of expression and suppression of democratic voices”.
“Transparency and accountability are essential in a democracy,” said the party. “Silencing voices will not silence the issues.”
The development came days after the Jammu and Kashmir Police filed a first information report against unidentified persons for “promoting separatist ideology and propagating false information, with an intent to incite unlawful activities prejudicial to the peace, sovereignty and integrity of India”, The Hindu reported.
The case was filed after Mufti shared on X an old video of separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani discussing the importance of the Urdu language.
In the undated video, Geelani can be heard saying that a substantial body of Islamic religious literature “across India, Pakistan and Jammu and Kashmir” has been preserved in Urdu.
He also alleged that efforts were underway to undermine this linguistic heritage, with the help of “people imposed on us”. Geelani died in September 2021.
Written by Neerad Pandharipande. Edited by Sneha
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