Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir): PDP president and former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti's daughter Iltija Mufti on Friday said that issuing her a "conditional passport" for two years for the United Arab Emirates only is a violation of her fundamental rights enshrined in Indian Constitution.
She said that under Article 14 of the Indian Constitution, she has the right to travel anywhere, but the Jammu and Kashmir administration and Passport Officer are denying her right. "The Regional Passport Officer, Kashmir, Davinder Kumar, and the CID have misled the judiciary. The passport issued to me is a two-year passport and it is mentioned clearly that it is valid only for the UAE," she said in a press conference at the PDP Office here.
Iltija further said that she is an Indian citizen and has not broken any law. "But, even to issue the two-year passport, the Official Secrets Act has been invoked against me. This Act is usually invoked for espionage. Am I a fugitive? Am I Nirav Modi, am I a terrorist, anti-national that I am being punished? If I talk about the Central government, is it like talking against the country? What is my fault? I am not a fugitive or a conman like Kiran Patel who was treated as a VVIP," Iltija said.
Also read: Mehbooba's daughter Iltija gets 'UAE specific' passport with 2-year validity
Iltija’s passport has been issued on grounds that she wants to pursue higher studies abroad. The passport, however, is valid only for two years- from April 5, 2023, to April 4, 2025, against the normal procedure of 10 years. Her passport had expired on January 2 and she had applied for a fresh one in advance on June 8 last year.
Iltija had approached the Jammu and Kashmir High Court in February this year, seeking directions to the Regional Passport Officer (RPO), Srinagar, to renew her passport. She had also written a letter to Special DGP, CID, RR Swain, requesting him to complete the verification for issuance of passport. Iltija has been very vocal in the media against the BJP government and Jammu and Kashmir administration since the abrogation of Article 370.
