Mehbooba urges Centre to consider shifting Kashmiri undertrials to local jails

PDP President Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday appealed to the Centre to either ensure bail to Kashmiri detainees lodged in outside jails or shift them to prisons in the valley in cases where the trial has not started even after five years of arrest.

“During our public dialogue programme in Shehr-e-Khaas (old Srinagar city), several persons approached us about their relatives being in prison outside Jammu and Kashmir for five to six years, and the trial is yet to begin,” Mehbooba told reporters.

“I had approached the high court with this specific issue (undertrials from Kashmir lodged in outside jails). We might even move the Supreme Court. However, I would request the (Union) Home Minister to consider shifting these prisoners or grant them bail,” she added.  The former chief minister reiterated her demand that the Jammu and Kashmir Government should keep a separate provision for the development of old Srinagar city, which is also known as Shehr-e-Khaas.

“Shehr-e-Khaas has its own problems, and there should be a separate budgetary provision for the development of this area,” she said. The PDP president said the ‘Rehbar-e-Taleem’ scheme had benefited the youngsters from rural areas of Jammu and Kashmir as they got jobs as teachers.

“But Srinagar city did not get the benefit from this scheme. I would request the chief minister to launch a scheme where educated youth from Srinagar can be engaged on the pattern of Rehbar-e-Taleem to make the city 100 per cent literate,” she said. The former chief minister said most of the population of old Srinagar fell in the general category and did not have reservations in Government jobs and other institutions.

“Most of the people are either associated with handicrafts or tourism. The handicrafts sector is under attack with the advent of machine-made products, which has resulted in diminishing earnings for the artisans,” she said. Mehbooba said the Government should consider an action plan to protect the artisans and handicrafts of Kashmir.

Pointing to the issues flagged during the public dialogue on Sunday, she said drug abuse was one of the major problems.

She appealed to parents to keep an eye on their kids, as there was a trend in most youngsters suffering from depression before they indulge in drug abuse.

“So, if your children are having mental health issues, please do not ignore. Take them to a doctor so that they can be treated before they fall prey to drugs,” she said.

The PDP chief also said there was no harm in discussing mental health issues as any other health problem.

“I also take anti-depressants sometimes when the tension is too much. So, mental health should not be ignored,” she added.

Mehbooba also called for making Kashmir a dry region on the lines of Gujarat and Bihar. “Earlier, there were only a couple of liquor shops in Kashmir, but now the numbers have shot up. The alcohol abuse has also gone up... This can have repercussions in terms of women’s safety. “Tourism is no excuse for allowing rampant alcohol sales, as tourists also visit Gujarat and Bihar, which are dry states. The Government says that there is Opposition in Jammu to declare a dry State... At least, you can do it in Kashmir,” she added.