Mehbooba Mufti, chief of the Jammu & Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led a protest in Srinagar on Wednesday demanding the restoration of Article 370.
The demonstration marks a volatile return to public dissent on the seventh anniversary [1] of the removal of the region's special status. The event underscores the deep political divide in Jammu & Kashmir regarding autonomy and military presence.
Mufti called for the restoration of Articles 370 and 35A, the release of political prisoners, and the withdrawal of the army from the region. During the protest, she said the abrogation of the articles was a "conspiracy" [2].
Images from the protest showed Mufti holding the Indian tricolour upside-down. This act drew immediate condemnation from members of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Giriraj Singh of the BJP said Mufti is a "terrorist" [2]. Sat Sharma, the J&K BJP chief, said legal action would be taken over the alleged disrespect to the national flag [2].
The protest occurred on the eve of the seventh anniversary [1] of the abrogation. Mufti continues to advocate for the return of the special status that previously governed the relationship between the state and the central government.
“Mehbooba Mufti described the abrogation of the articles as a "conspiracy".”
The clash between the PDP and the BJP highlights the enduring tension over the legal and political identity of Jammu & Kashmir. By using the national flag as a symbol of protest, Mufti is challenging the central government's narrative of integration, while the BJP's response suggests that any perceived disrespect to national symbols will be met with legal and rhetorical escalation.
