'The Pot Calling the Kettle Black': Mehbooba Mufti on FIR Against Her for 'MCC Violation'

Taking to X, the former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister said that she had been booked for alleged flouting of Model Code of Conduct for her protest against detention of her party polling agents. Mehbooba termed the FIR as the "price PDP has paid for speaking truth to power".

Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir): Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President Mehbooba Mufti has been booked for alleged flouting of Model Code of Conduct. Mehbooba on Wednesday described the FIR against her as "Ulta chor kotwal ko daante" (pot calling kettle black).

Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, Mehbooba said, "Amusing to find an FIR filed against me for apparently flouting MCC. This is the price PDP has paid for speaking truth to power. Our protest was against GOI in cahoots with the local administration for detaining hundreds of PDP polling agents and workers in the hours leading up to voting.

She further added, "Still not satisfied, the same administration went on to launch Cordon and Search Operations in traditional PDP stronghold areas to terrorize our voters and prevent them from exercising their right to vote.Ulta chor kotwal ko daante(the pot calling the kettle black)."

Mehbooba also attached a copy of the FIR to her post, which indicated that "PDP workers blocked the main road and staged a protest for more than one hour, which constitutes a violation of section 144 CrPC."

The complaint, addressed to the Assistant Returning Officer in Srigufwara Bijbehara, read: "In reference to the subject 'Complaint against Madam Mehbooba Mufti for Violation of Model Code of Conduct,' it is to bring to your notice that on May 25, 2024, a large number of PDP workers led by Madam Mehbooba Mufti assembled in Bijbehara town and raised slogans for releasing the PDP workers, which amounted to a gross violation of MCC. The large group of PDP workers also blocked the main road and staged a protest at the main spot in Bijbehara for more than one hour, which constitutes a violation of section 144 CrPC."

It further reads: "Section 144 CrPC, which is imposed in the parliamentary 3-Anantnag-Rajouri Constituency by order issued by the District Magistrate concerned, restricts gatherings of four persons during the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) up to June 4. Hence, in violation of the above order, it is requested that necessary action may be initiated under rules against Madam Mehbooba Mufti along with her identified workers by the concerned Police Authority."

The complaint also says that Mehbooba has been booked under section 147 (Punishment for rioting), 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by a public servant) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and Section 126A (Prohibition of public meetings during period of forty-eight hours ending with hour fixed for conclusion of poll) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 at Bijbehara police station.

On May 25, Mehbooba Mufti, who is a candidate from the Anantnag–Rajouri Lok Sabha seat, alleged that her party workers and polling agents were being detained in police stations "without any reason." Mehbooba, whose party was in alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) between 2015 and 2018, claimed that complaints regarding efforts to "tamper with the Electronic Voting Machines" were being received.

She had also claimed that outgoing calls on her mobile number had been suspended without any explanation. However, the Anantnag Police said that "detentions are very few and restricted only to the ones against whom there are credible inputs of potential threats to law and order and security on polling day."

Mehbooba's daughter and advisor, Iltija Mufti, claimed the protest was prompted by the detention of party workers.

"On the night of May 24, we started receiving calls from our party workers in Anantnag and Kulgam who were picked up by the police," Iltija Mufti said. "This all happened 10-12 hours before polling."

She alleged that a Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) was initiated by the Army in PDP strongholds on May 24. "An attempt to instill fear among people was made to deter them from voting," she said, adding that the polling percentage in South Kashmir was lower than expected due to these actions.

Iltija Mufti accused the central government, in collaboration with local authorities, of suppressing voter turnout to disadvantage PDP's Mehbooba Mufti. "How dare you slander our boys by calling them OGWs (Over Ground Workers)?" she said, referring to the detained party workers.

The PDP leader condemned the FIR as an act of intimidation. "We received no response from the administration," she said. "This FIR is an intimidation and we are not going to take it lying down."